Book 4: Blood
by peavlerk123
Summary: An alternate Book 4 for The Legend of Korra, detailing a plot on Asami's life. Korra and Asami's bond goes beyond friendship (Korrasami), but Asami struggles with her past. There are a few OC's. Rated M for language, adult situations/themes, violence. All reviews are welcome :) Cover art is by a great artist, not me.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

"She looks up to you, you know."

Korra jumped at the words. She had been lost in her thoughts and wasn't really paying attention to the ceremony. Jinora's induction as an Airbending Master was a big deal for her, so Korra immediately felt guilty for not watching.

"Korra, are you sure you're OK? I can take you back to the island if you want. I'm sure Jinora and the others would understand."

Korra appreciated Asami's offer, but she couldn't leave now. Besides, this was the culmination of all their hard work in rebuilding the Air Nation. Jinora will be the first new Airbending Master to be a part of the rejuvenated Air Nation, and no matter how bad Korra felt she was going to see this through. Her lack of response was answer enough for Asami, so she didn't press it.

It had only been two weeks since Korra had been brought to Republic City to recuperate after her nearly disastrous fight with Zaheer and the Red Lotus, and in that time she had only been awake for six days. Su Beifong had successfully metal-bent the poison out of her, but she was still weak. She couldn't walk, she most certainly couldn't bend any of the elements, and she had barely eaten since she first woke up six days ago. Altogether, Korra felt pretty shitty, and she knew it showed. Asami had done a wonderful job of dressing her up for Jinora's tattooing ceremony, but all the makeup and fancy clothes in the world couldn't hide the defeated look in her eyes. Korra put on a brave show for the benefit of those around her, but it only made her feel worse: she hated lying to them, but she knew that they could see through her act. She was broken, inside and out, and everyone could see it. Thankfully for this occasion, they were seated high on a balcony above the goings-on, looking down at the festivities.

Asami was standing behind Korra, grasping the handles of her wheelchair. Since they had all gotten back to Republic City, she hadn't left Korra's side, and especially so now that she was up and active. Or at least, as active as she can be. Sometimes, during the week that Korra flitted in-and-out of consciousness, Asami staying by her bedside well into the night. Mako and Bolin had each done their part as well, and Asami had been glad for their company. She had hated being alone with the lifeless Avatar that first week. It had made Asami feel so helpless, and she would have gladly traded places with Korra if it meant she could be well again. She had cried, she had silently pleaded on her knees, even joined Jinora in praying to the spirits, anything that might have helped Korra.

Jinora's ceremony had come to an end, and after Tenzin's speech the Airbenders and Republic City on-lookers slowly started to make for the door. Jinora's tattooing ceremony had taken place in the City Hall building, and Asami could hear satomobiles rushing down the road outside. Asami herself knew this building intimately, having helped her father design the blueprints. In fact, she knew of a certain evacuation tunnel whose entrance was just down the hall.

Asami put her hand on Korra's shoulder. "Hey, want to see something cool?"

Korra had been too busy looking down from the balcony with a dejected look. She so badly wanted to be a part of the happiness down there, but there was no way she could take all that excitement in her weakened state. Besides, if she was honest with herself, she didn't want to ruin everyone else's fun. During these few days that she had been awake, Korra had noticed how everyone dropped what they were doing when she appeared. They could sense her sadness, and she absolutely hated having such a negative effect on her friends. She didn't want them to worry so much about her, partly because she wanted to reassure them, and partly because she wanted to reassure herself. The only one who seemed unaffected by Korra's depressing state was Asami, and she was glad to have her around.

"Hmm?" Korra replied.

"I said, do you want to see something cool?"

Now Korra was attentive. "Like what," she said.

"Like a way to get out of here without ploughing through that crowd," Asami whispered.

"Oh, yes please," Korra breathed, the relief evident in her tone.

Asami winced. Her friend had made quite a bounce-back after not being fully conscious for a week, but she was still in bad shape. The fact that Korra, of all people, wanted to _avoid _being with her loved ones was testament to how badly she was broken. Asami couldn't imagine the pain that Korra must feel every second, and it drove her mad just thinking about it. There was nothing that she wouldn't do to un-do what the Red Lotus had done to her friend. Not a single day had gone by that Asami didn't curse Zaheer with all the hatred that she could muster. If she was ever in a position to inflict pain on Zaheer, she was going to make _damn_ sure she did.

"OK, but don't tell the President I showed you this," Asami said.

Asami wheeled Korra around and went left through the door leading into the hallway. After passing a few offices and guest rooms for visiting diplomats, she stopped outside a door that said MAINTENANCE on the front.

"You wanted to show me a broom closet?" Korra asked in bewilderment.

Asami laughed. "Not _just _a broom closet." She took out her key to the building and unlocked the door, then reached inside to flip the lights on before wheeling Korra in. It was indeed a broom closet, with other various housekeeping supplies and tools strewn about. But against the far wall lay a secret that only Asami and President Raiko knew about, as well as her father, but Asami had made a habit of not thinking about him. Unfortunately, that secret lay guarded by a rather large shelf placed in front of it. She tried moving the pesky thing, but it was heavy.

"C'mon, Asami, let's just go," Korra sighed.

Asami huffed from the effort. "No, we're already here, just wait."

After some considerable effort she managed to push the shelf just far enough to get the secret door open. For this, she needed her special key to the City. There were in fact several of these secret doors throughout Republic City, all in various important buildings, though they all led into the same tunnel that spanned the length of the entire City, miles underground. Her father, Hiroshi Sato, envisioned this massive tunnel to serve as an effective escape route or shelter, should the need ever arise. Ironically, the perfect time to actually use it came when Unalaq started blasting the City as the Dark Avatar, though Asami's father hadn't yet distributed the additional keys to the City Councilmen or to the President before being jailed. Asami later did just that, and kept one for herself.

"OK, ready?" she asked.

Korra looked into this secret doorway, but couldn't see what was inside. "Where does this go?"

"To a safe place. If you want, I'll have an extra key made for you. But c'mon, I want you to see this."

She grabbed the handles to Korra's wheelchair and pushed her inside. It was actually an elevator, and once they were both inside Asami pressed the button to shut the door behind them.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Korra said. They were both in total darkness, and the elevator platform wasn't exactly spacious. In fact, it was just wide enough for Korra's wheelchair, and Asami had to stand to the side. Apparently her father never counted on too many wheelchair-bound people using this elevator. The only light came from the electric-yellow glowing buttons on the control panel, which had only four buttons: [UP], [DOWN], [DOOR SHUT], and [DOOR OPEN].

"Relax, Korra. Don't you trust me?" Asami pressed [DOWN] and the elevator practically dropped out from under them. The platform descended so rapidly and so suddenly that Asami felt a moment of weightlessness, and she grabbed the handles of Korra's wheelchair in an effort to keep herself grounded. The speed at which they fell really was alarming, Asami admitted to herself. Then again, this was meant for a hasty escape.

Korra wasn't taking this downward acceleration as well as Asami. She gripped the armrests of her wheelchair until her knuckles were white, and her eyes were firmly shut. Asami tried putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but the touch caused Korra to curse and jump in her seat.

"Asami, make this thing stop!"

Several seconds went by, and then the darkness was gone, as was their rapid downward velocity. The elevator had glass walls on two sides, on the left and right, and they had just cleared the ceiling of the vast underground tunnel. The elevator was going at a much more comfortable rate, and, feeling the change in speed, Korra opened her eyes and gasped.

They were travelling down toward what looked like an airship loading dock. Korra thought that an airship just might fit into this vast tunnel, it was so tall and wide. There were strings of electric lights lining the top and sides of this cavern, and the lights gradually came on in pairs as they descended. By the time they reached the bottom, the entirety of the underground network was lit up, yet Korra couldn't see the end of it in either direction, it was so large. Looking up and around, she could also see other elevator shafts going up and up before finally melding into the rock ceiling of the tunnel. Korra guessed that these led to other buildings throughout the City. As the door of their own elevator opened, Asami wheeled her out onto an awaiting platform. There were various satomobiles lined up along the wall to their left, the kind that can hold about ten or so people in the back. There were also boxes of canned foods stacked up neatly next to some of these, along with crates of water. Everything appeared to be ready to use, though there was a fine layer of dust over it all.

"Wha-what is this place?" Korra asked, stunned at the enormity of it all. Her fear at their sudden descent was gone.

"This an escape tunnel my father built. His idea was to create an escape route that the whole City, or at least most of it, could use in a time of emergency. This is the first time I've been down here, though I remember looking over all the blueprints. I never knew he had it stocked with this many supplies."

Asami looked down at Korra's amazed expression. She herself was fairly impressed as well, but she only thought of Korra. Seeing her friend with something other than dejection, defeat, or anger in her eyes made Asami very happy. Korra had a way of expressing herself that made everyone around her feel what she felt, which was great when that expression was positive. Recently, though, she had a near-constant cloud of sadness following her, and it had begun to affect the people trying to help her. But Asami couldn't blame her. Not after what she'd gone through.

"Pretty cool, huh," Asami said, looking around at the impressive display of engineering.

"Yeah," Korra said breathlessly. This is why she loved Republic City. It never ceased to amaze her. Being a Water Tribe girl, she had always been fascinated by stories about the City.

Korra suddenly looked around her, up and down the walls of the tunnel. "What did they do with all of this earth?"

"What?"

"The earthbenders that work for Future Industries. Where did they put all of the earth they moved to make this tunnel?" Korra asked.

Asami let out a burst of laughter. Of all the questions that she could've asked, of all the impressive feats of engineering put out on display around her, _this _is what Korra wanted to know: where'd all the rock go? It was suddenly too much for Asami, and she had to reach up and wipe the tears from her eyes. Sometimes she forgot that her best friend wasn't raised in the City. To Korra, bending was everything.

Korra frowned at her friend's laughter. "What? What's so funny? Asami!"

By this time Asami was seated on a crate of preserved food behind Korra, laughing her head off. In between sobs of laughter she managed to spit out, "I'm s-s-sorry. You're just so funny sometimes."

Korra smiled, looking again at the massive tunnel. "Well, I'm glad you think it's funny, but that's some serious earthbending. I wish Bolin could see this."

This made Asami stop laughing, but it didn't drive away her smile. _Korra really is so caring_, she thought. This is what she had always loved about Korra the most. No matter how terrible or wonderful things got, she was always thinking about others. Sometimes, though, Korra put the needs of others so far ahead of her own that it negatively affected her actions, sometimes causing a state of indecisiveness because she didn't want to offend either side. _But if that's Korra's worst fault, that she cares too much_, Asami thought, _then everyone should aspire to be like her_.

"I'm so sorry, Asami."

She looked up at Korra, or rather, the back of Korra's head. Asami was still seated behind her, and Korra hadn't regained nearly enough strength in her arms to wheel herself. In a way, it was almost easier to talk to Korra like this. At least she didn't have to look into those tragically beautiful blue eyes. Those once-happy, now-sad eyes.

"Sorry for what?" Asami asked.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Korra sighed. "I know I've said this before, but I mean it. This…this probably doesn't mean much, but…I'm sure he realizes how bad he's screwed up."

Asami was definitely glad that Korra couldn't see the tears in her eyes right now.

"Korra…"

"I mean, if he's _this _brilliant—" she moved her head to gesture at the tunnel around them, "—then surely he…he has to know how much he's lost by losing you. You're…a wonderful person, Asami."

Korra had begun breathing heavily. Ever since she started staying awake regularly she'd been having trouble breathing, though she noticed it was only really bad when she got excited or angry. Why, then, was she breathing heavy now? She had meant what she said.

Asami heard Korra's breathing and stood up to be by her side. She knelt down and put an arm around Korra's shoulders, bringing her in for a soft hug. The tears were still coming down, but only softly.

"Thank you, Korra. That means a lot to me."

Korra wanted to return the hug, but her useless arms wouldn't let her, so she settled for leaning her head on Asami's shoulder.

Asami stood back up and grasped the handles of Korra's wheelchair. "OK, ready to go to the island?"

Korra tried to turn her head at this, but when she tried her neck groaned painfully, and she winced. Still amazed, she asked, "This tunnel can get us to Air Temple Island?"

"Well, not exactly, but there's an exit near the docks. But you gotta keep this place a secret. Only President Raiko, the City Councilmen, and myself are supposed to know about it," Asami said.

"Yeah," Korra laughed, "Bolin can't keep a secret, anyway."

Asami smiled. "No, he can't."


	2. Chapter 1: Three Months Later

CHAPTER I: THREE MONTHS LATER

"Ugh, I can't do it! I still can't do it! I _still_ can't move my legs!"

Asami sighed. "You'll get there, just give it time, Korra."

Asami had just picked Korra up from her afternoon healing session with some Water Tribe healers. Since Korra had arrived in Republic City, the best resident healers had been tending to her bodily wounds, trying to coax her muscles into working condition again. Her arm muscles had regained some movement, but even that was very limited. Korra could now feed herself, but she wasn't going to be doing any heavy lifting anytime soon. Her legs were proving to be rather resolute in their decision to not function. She still needed someone to dress her, and to get in and out of bed. Usually, this someone was Asami.

They were still outside the healers' room.

Korra groaned in rage. "Asami, it's been almost four months, and I haven't made any progress. These 'healing sessions' aren't doing a damn bit of good, in fact I usually feel worse after than I did before! I still can't put any weight on my legs, and my nightmares have only gotten worse!"

Asami halted at that last bit. "You told me you weren't having any more nightmares!"

Korra blushed, having forgotten that she'd lied to her friend. "Well, I still do, no thanks to these _quacks_!" This last part she directed at the door, hoping to anger the healers that were so desperately trying to fix their Avatar.

"Korra, I told you, if you're having trouble sleeping you need to tell someone. Tenzin said there might be something in your dreams that could help your healing process."

Korra was clearly still seething, and Asami worried that she was only just getting started.

Korra folded her arms. "Pfft, Tenzin. I suppose there's some stupid airbending trick to make someone sleep better that he's _always _known about. I hate how he's got an answer for everything, except for when I actually need an answer."

"That's not fair, Korra," Asami chided. "We're all trying our best to help you."

They were making their way back to Korra's room on Air Temple Island, and crossed the pavilion overlooking the airbender training area. There were some air acolytes zooming around in their new flight-suits, courtesy of Future Industries. Asami had seen pictures of the ancient gliders that airbenders used, like the one Tenzin has, and she thought that the new Air Nation could do with an upgrade. The first couple of test flights hadn't been especially promising (Meelo bravely volunteered to try the first one, to disastrous-yet-hilarious results), but she worked the kinks out of the design, and she took pride in watching the new airbenders soar through the air. To maintain the airbender's aerodynamics, the suits were rather form-fitting, almost skin-tight. Asami wondered what Korra would look like in one of those suits.

Korra was still upset about something.

"…and what did she mean by _that? _Ugh, she's lucky that I can't wipe that smirk off her face, that pretentious, mouthy, little bi—"

Just then, an air acolyte that Asami didn't know landed right in front of them, scaring the hell out of Korra. She jumped in her seat, which apparently caused her considerable pain because she grit her teeth and reached out to try to throttle the poor guy. Asami pulled her wheelchair backward to save him.

Korra's temper was also unaffected by the healing sessions. Well, that's not true. If anything, the healing sessions had only served to worsen her temper, as was evident by her attempt to strangle this poor airbender.

The air acolyte had an apologetic look on his face. "Uh, sorry Avatar Korra." The man looked up at Asami and held out a sealed letter. "This came for you today, Miss Sato."

Asami had almost forgotten that some of the more experienced acolytes had taken up jobs for the Republic City Postal Service. It had originally been Bolin's idea (go figure), and he had been right: the air acolytes could deliver the mail much more efficiently and quickly than normal postmen driving satomobiles. _Gotta give the guy credit, _Asami thought. _He occasionally spouts really good ideas_. Tenzin had been against it at first, stating that traditional Air Nomads had no need for money, but he eventually came around.

Asami took the letter and smiled at the acolyte. "Thank you." She saw that it was from FlameCo, Inc., one of her company's top suppliers. Asami groaned and stuffed it into her back pocket. She'd always disliked dealing with FlameCo's CEO.

After the air acolyte flew off and she had cooled down a little, Korra asked, "Who's it from?"

"Just more business," Asami sighed dejectedly, and she continued rolling Korra toward her room for an early dinner.

Korra eased up considerably at this. She knew Asami's stressed-about-work voice, and she had tried to sympathize with her before, but the fact was that Korra had no clue about the business world. Instead of offering a suggestion and possibly looking dumb, Korra just kept her mouth shut.

They went inside the main living quarters of Air Temple Island, passing a sad-faced Pema in the kitchen. She was busy preparing dinner for everyone else, but she'd already made Korra's and Asami's meals and placed them in Korra's room, she'd said. Korra still hated the looks that she was getting. She didn't know how much longer she could take the concerned and worried expressions, especially when she thought about how little progress she'd made. If the healing sessions had actually been working, she wouldn't mind everyone's concern. But _this_ kind of concern seemed to say 'I wonder if she'll ever get better,' and Korra hated it. Mostly because she had started to think that she might not.

They reached Korra's room and Asami rolled Korra through, shutting the door behind them. Sure enough, there were two plates full of food on the table in the back-left corner of the room, across from the bed. There was only one chair at the table, since Korra didn't need one. Asami wheeled Korra up to the table and then she sat down to her own plate and began eating.

Korra looked at the plate of airbender food and her stomach lurched. She loved Tenzin and all the others, but how an entire Nation managed to live without meat was beyond her.

"I don't think I'm hungry," she said.

Asami frowned. Korra's appetite, while initially normal, had only been getting worse. Asami even caught her trying to dump one of her meals out of the window. After that, Asami always took her meals with Korra, mostly to insure that she actually ate, but also to keep her company. Asami herself found that just being with Korra, no matter what mood she was in, seemed to settle her thoughts and put her at ease. Asami didn't know it, but Korra secretly felt the same way, and was always glad to have Asami with her. Even when they argued about her eating habits.

"C'mon, Korra. It's good," Asami pleaded. "Besides, and I know I sound like a broken record but—"

"—'I have to eat if I want to get better,' yeah yeah. I know," Korra said, sighing. Then she mumbled under her breath, saying, "You'd think with all those new bison, _one _Air Nomad would get curious and hungry enough…"

Seeing Asami's flabbergasted expression, Korra quickly added, "Not the ones we ride! Just, you know, other ones. I mean, think of how many steaks you could get from just one bison. Those things are huge! But no, steamed lettuce wraps for everyone."

Asami was still smiling wryly at her friend. Of course, being raised in the Southern Water Tribe where there isn't any lettuce, Korra would have a taste for meat. She'd once seen Korra put away a whole rack of earth-goat ribs before belching satisfactorily. That gave her an idea.

Asami leaned forward to whisper to her friend. "What if we went to the City for dinner tonight? You could get anything you wanted, meat, fish, noodles, whatever. Then would you eat?"

Korra's eyes perked up at the mention of meat. Or really, at the mention of anything besides airbender food. She felt guilty when she didn't eat, because usually the food that Pema prepared was indeed delicious. It just lacked substance for Korra, as if it didn't weigh enough when it was in her stomach. Which meant that it was easy to bring back up if she started to feel sick again. Which was practically every other night.

"But Tenzin said—," Korra began.

"Oh, so NOW you care what Tenzin thinks," Asami laughed. She knew that Korra really did care what Tenzin thought, but she was teasing her about her earlier indignation at the airbending master.

"Even if we wanted to, how would we leave the island?" Korra asked.

Asami smiled conspiratorially. "Leave that to me. So, what do you think? Will you eat real food? Because you certainly don't want to eat this," she said, pointing at Korra's plate.

The brightness of Korra's eyes definitely increased, as she said, "Oh, _hell_ yes."

Asami got up, taking both of their plates to the window. "OK, but I'm not going to do this all the time. I've seen Tenzin and Pema when they're angry, and I don't want that directed at me. So you have to promise me that you'll start eating," she said, as she whistled for Pabu and the air-lemurs. They happily ate the lettuce-wraps that she dumped onto the ground.

Korra smiled at Asami. "Fine, I promise."


	3. Chapter 2: Neon Lights

CHAPTER II: NEON LIGHTS

As it turns out, it was easier to sneak away from Air Temple Island than Korra thought. Asami used the phone in the room to call the harbormaster of her private Future Industries dock, and he sent a driver to come pick them up. Everyone was already inside the main dining room, and the sun had just begun to set when the boat driver arrived, so it was a simple matter to get away without being noticed. The speedboat was spacious enough to fit Korra in the front, next the pilot's seat, and Asami took the wheel after they secured Korra's wheelchair. Korra loved being in or near water, though she never really liked riding in these fast boats, and she was thankful when Asami took it slow. By the time they reached the other side of the bay and docked their watercraft, the sun was almost fully behind the horizon. Asami told the driver he could leave the boat there, that they would drive it back, and he courteously bowed his head and left.

Now that they were here in Republic City, and at night, Korra was glad they snuck away. The City truly was at its most glorious at night. Practically every building was lit up, with some going way over the top with the amount of lights, though somehow it never seemed cheap or gaudy. Korra had long ago realized that she would have to live here for eternity before she got bored with Republic City. There was activity all around them, yet there was a sense of ownership and solitude in that moment for Korra. It had been a long time since she stopped to fully appreciate the City's beauty.

Asami was following Korra's gaze. "Well, what's on the menu for tonight, Miss Avatar?"

Her question brought Korra back to the moment, and to her rumbling stomach.

"Man, I don't know. There's so many choices…," she trailed off.

"Well, you mentioned steak, so how about that?" Asami asked. Remembering her friend's frail condition, though, she added, "but whatever we get, don't overeat."

Korra laughed at this. "First you want me to eat, now you don't. And yes, steak sounds amazing."

Asami took hold of the wheelchair handles and started off down the sidewalk. It was weird, but when Asami rolled her around, Korra always felt in control somehow. If anyone else was pushing her, she began to get a little uneasy, suddenly aware of how vulnerable she actually was by sitting here. Not with Asami at the wheel, though. Korra couldn't explain why she felt this way, having noticed it just the other day. But the fact that she was always at ease with Asami hadn't escaped her.

They arrived at a rather high-class steakhouse that overlooked the bay, and Korra bristled. She'd never been to a place like this before. Not like there had been much time before now, though, what with the equalists, then Unalaq, Harmonic Convergence, and then…

It took some considerable effort for Korra to not think about…_him_. Usually, she didn't have to think about him to relive those final, terrible moments before she almost lost her life. Korra had seen Zaheer many times in her dreams since she'd been back in Republic City, and even though they were just dreams, they terrified her. Recently, she had been forcing herself to stay awake for as long as she could, only giving in to sleep when she physically couldn't stay awake any longer. Korra had begun to worry that Asami was catching on to this nasty habit, but how could she make her understand? It would humiliating to admit to her strong, loyal, and beautiful friend that the Avatar was afraid of having bad dreams.

Though this was Korra's first time here, that obviously wasn't the case for Asami, for all she had to do was flash the hostess a quick glance and she nodded, leading the way to a table. _Sometimes,_ Korra thought, _it's awesome to have rich friends_. And Asami definitely knew how to get around.

Korra looked up at her friend. "Aren't we a little underdressed for this place?"

Asami faked a hurt expression, pouting her lips like a child before smiling.

"Speak for yourself," she said.

Korra's arms had regained enough strength for her to reach around and elbow Asami playfully in the stomach.

"Is this table pleasing for you, Miss?" the hostess asked Asami.

The table was at a respectable distance away from nearly everyone else, and Korra was glad for it. They could talk freely and easily, without worrying if anyone overheard. It was that perfect time in the evening to go to a restaurant, the time that's a little after the dinner rush but before the late-night drinkers started showing up. There was an open bar to Korra's left, with only a few patrons sitting and chatting. A few other people were dining as well, and there was a rather large group of about five or six men sitting at a semi-circle booth near the back, well out of ear-shot.

"It's perfect, thank you," Asami replied.

Asami placed Korra on one side of the table, then sat down opposite her. Their waiter appeared out of thin-air and asked what each of them would like to drink, Korra asking only for a glass of water, Asami preferring some seltzer with lemon.

Korra scanned the menu, only half-reading its contents. She was too busy trying to not notice that group of men near the back. The men kept glancing in their direction, and she couldn't figure out why. Korra supposed it had something to do with Asami. Wherever they went together, men usually gawked at Asami, much like Mako used to do. It had never really bothered her, because Korra herself recognized that Asami was perhaps the prettiest girl she'd ever met. When people gawked at Korra, it was because they knew she was the Avatar, not because they were stunned by her beauty. Nowadays, though, people gawked at her because she was the Avatar _in a wheelchair_. By now she was almost used to it, but she still hated the image of vulnerability that this chair projected. She was the Avatar, dammit. Not some hopeless beggar.

"So what are you thinkin'?" Asami asked.

"Huh?"

"Food, Korra," Asami laughed. "What do you want to eat?"

She hadn't thought of that just yet. It was getting harder and harder for Korra to think straight sometimes, even with Asami's soothing presence.

"This is a steakhouse, right? Let's have some of that," Korra said.

"OK," Asami replied. "But just get a small one, or I can split one with you. I just don't want you to be sick later."

"Alright, alright," Korra teased, "I'll try not to spoil my dessert, Mom."

Their waiter, apparently having sensed that they were ready to order, reappeared at Korra's shoulder again with their drinks. Asami ordered for them both, having decided to get a regular-sized dinner steak and split it between the two of them. Korra asked for a baked potato as well, and Asami was glad that her friend had perked up at the thought of eating. Sneaking out had been a good idea, after all.

Their waiter finished writing up their order, bowed, and disappeared again.

"So," Asami began, "how are you feeling?"

Korra was afraid she was going to ask that. Time to play the Lie-to-Asami-Game. Even that was getting harder, on account of the fact that Korra and Asami had been spending almost every day together. But this little outing, while initially pleasing, was slowly starting to worry Korra. Inside the restaurant wasn't so bad, as it was fairly quiet in here, but outside on the busy streets it was almost too much for her. The sound of satomobiles racing wildly past her, the airy hoot of a train's whistle in the background, people running to and fro, even the _lights_, the lights that Korra most adored, everything began to compress in on her. Right before they entered the restaurant, Korra was experiencing something close to sensory overload, as if all the sights and sounds of the City were building up into a bomb of spectacle and had dropped it on Korra's head.

"…Korra?"

Crap. She was losing the Lying Game, so far. Spacing out after being asked a question is definitely not the best way to appear sane.

"Asami, I'm fine. Really. It's just…this is the first time I've been back in the City proper, you know? I didn't realize how much I'd miss it all."

There. That sounded nice enough. But Korra knew Asami wasn't a fool, and that she wouldn't put up with this act for very much longer. She took a drink of her water, closing her eyes to relish the feeling of ice-cold fluid running down her throat.

Asami nodded, realizing that her friend just needed a little time to relax. She had been worried that the hustle-and-bustle of Republic City might be too much for Korra, and she may have been right.

Asami was idly playing with her hands on the table, and Korra suddenly reached over and put her hand on top of Asami's.

"Asami…thank you for this. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, especially now, but I want you to know that I do appreciate everything you've been doing for me."

Asami smiled warmly, and that sight made Korra's insides squirm pleasantly, but she didn't remove her hand. Asami placed her other hand on top of Korra's.

"Korra, you know I'd do anything to help you," Asami said, then smiled again. "I mean, we're here, aren't we? I practically kidnapped the injured Avatar and made off with her into the bowels of Republic City, just so she'd eat a full meal."

Korra laughed with Asami at that, and her insides squirmed even more. _What the hell, _Korra thought. _It's just Asami, and I don't feel sick. Why do I feel this way?_

Just then their waiter returned with the best-smelling food Korra had seen in a long time. Then again, air-bison oats smell better than airbender food. Poor Pema. Their waiter gave Korra her half of the steak first, then laid down a separate plate with her potato on it. He served Asami next, who only got her half of the steak, having eaten most of her food back at the island. He then bowed and left without a word. Korra could sit here and inhale that aroma all night, it smelled so good. She immediately tore into her potato, thinking to eat the softer food first, and it was light and fluffy as air. After two large mouthfuls of potato, Korra realized how stupid she'd been for not eating regularly. She was hungrier right now than she ever remembered being before, so she started cutting into her steak, her mouth practically watering at the sight of such succulent meat.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later Korra was stuffed. If she thought about it, it was weird to be so full on such a small piece of meat. She could remember eating much bigger portions regularly before her fight with the Red Lotus, but lately she had been feeling so terrible. The healers had recommended taking four small meals per day, to insure that she would get the necessary nutrients she needed to heal, but Korra couldn't do it. Her nightmares usually left her sick in the morning, and she would start to feel sick again near bedtime in anticipation of her nightmares. It was a vicious cycle that she couldn't seem to break, but tonight had been a great start.

"Well?" Asami asked, happy that Korra had managed to swallow some food for once. Asami always worried the most about her friend when she wouldn't eat. "How was it?"

Korra was trying to resist the urge to belch. "Fantastic. Thanks again for this, Asami. I mean it."

Asami checked her watch and gasped. "Oh shit, Korra, it's almost midnight. C'mon, let's sneak you back onto Air Temple Island."

"Good idea," Korra replied.

Those same six men had never left that semi-circle booth, and, Korra noticed while she was eating, they hadn't stopped looking at the two of them either. To her dismay, as Asami stood up and came around the table to get Korra, the men all stood up and exited their booth, watching Asami and Korra the whole time.

"Um…Asami?" Korra said tentatively, not wanting to take her eyes off the men.

"What's up?"

Korra didn't want to point, lest that give the men a reason to approach, but she whispered as Asami continued to wheel her towards the door.

"There are about six guys behind us, near the back of the restaurant. And they don't look friendly."

Asami chanced a glance behind her, easily spotting the men. And they definitely did _not _look friendly.

"How long have they been there?" she asked Korra.

"Since we walked in."

"Korra! Why didn't you say something?"

"What?! I don't know, because I…"

Korra didn't know how she wanted to finish that sentence. _Because I couldn't stop looking at you…because I was worrying about you worrying about me…because I was hungry! _Neither of these were exactly right, yet neither of these were wrong. Korra had been thinking all of these things over the course of their short dinner, and she didn't know what to make of them. The weird feeling she had gotten when she held Asami's hand, and the way that feeling had intensified when she had smiled at Korra, were still being processed by her weakened mind.

Asami told the hostess to put the bill on her tab, and the hostess smiled and wished them a good night. Korra wished there were rear-view mirrors on this stupid wheelchair, so she could see if the men were still following. Once they cleared the door and were back outside in the electric-daylight of Republic City's nighttime, Korra almost wished they were back inside with those goons. Her senses were immediately assaulted by the combustion of light and sound all around her, and she threw up her arms to shield her face. When that didn't work, she plugged her ears hoping to drown out the noise. Asami was about to try to comfort her friend, or maybe make a break for the boat, when the door behind them opened.

"Excuse me, Miss Sato. But I think this belongs to you."

Korra felt Asami let go of the wheelchair handles, and she suddenly had that sense of vulnerability again. All she wanted right now was for Asami to take hold of the chair again and tell her everything was going to be OK.

Being turned around and having her eyes shut tight against the City lights, Korra couldn't see who spoke.

* * *

Asami turned around just in time to get clubbed across the face by one of the six men. She yelped and stumbled back hard, but steeled herself against Korra's chair, and made ready for the next jab. The man clearly thought he could take Asami out with a single hit, and while it had been a good hit, Asami was a skilled fighter. She could take a punch.

Seeing that she hadn't gone down so easily, the man reared his fist back, aiming right for Asami's face. He let the punch fly, but Asami sidestepped it and grabbed his wrist, twisting to the right so that his forearm was on her shoulder, and she yanked _down_. A satisfying crunch followed by a resounding pop told her that the man's elbow was now dislocated. _These chumps don't know how to fight,_ Asami thought. _Whoever hired them must've thought we'd be easy bait._

Like hell.

Asami crouched and twirled, tripping the crying man, then she stood back up and stomped his face. Mako had taught her that move. It was dirty fighting and she didn't need it, but it made a point. That point being _don't you dare get back up_.

One down.

"Asami!" Korra yelled, still with her eyes shut tight and still turned around.

Asami turned to face the other five, fists up in a defensive position. One of them decided it was his turn to get his ass kicked, and he stepped forward. Asami knew enough to wait for him to strike first: it's always easier to take out an opponent once you know how they fight. Sure enough, he ran head-first at her and started punching the air. Every punch he let loose came up short, as Asami dodged left and right. After his fourth missed punch, the guy tried kicking. He actually managed to get a good kick at one of Asami's shins, and she cursed herself for having been so careless. His next kick landed his foot firmly in Asami's hands, and she wrenched his ankle to the left with all her might, and he went down. Before he could finish the whimper that had just barely escaped his lips, Asami closed the gap and punched the man's throat, turning his whimper into a confused snort.

Two down.

The remaining four men each had wild looks in their eyes. They briefly looked at each other, clearly trying to decide who was going to fight next, but no one wanted to be the hero.

Then one of them, evidently the smartest of the bunch, yelled, "Let's get her!"

All four of them charged Asami. She wasn't sure if she could take all of them at once. While each were individually stupid and not worth her time, the four of them were nonetheless imposing figures. If nothing else, they at least had her beat in size and numbers. _Crap, _she thought, _I wish Korra could help me. _

Korra.

That single word, that name, _her _name, was resonating through Asami's mind.

Korra.

The one person that Asami cared for the most in this world, and the one who had always been a beacon of strength that Asami could draw upon. Now, Asami had to be that beacon for her friend.

Korra, who right now needed Asami to teach these bastards a lesson.

One of the men was ahead of the rest by a few feet, so Asami focused her fury on him. As he came hurtling towards her, Asami crouched and picked up a small stone, placing it in the palm of her hand. When he got closer, she deflected his first punch with her forearm and spun around to jab him just under the ribs on his left side. She completed the circle by using her momentum to give her punch a little more force, and gave him a good hit on his other side. With the wind being thoroughly knocked out of him, he doubled over in pain, leaving his neck and bald head exposed. Asami took the man's head between her hands, lifted up slightly, then brought it down _hard _onto her knee. Another dirty move, but she needed any advantage she could get. He fell flat on his back and didn't move.

Three down.

Korra.

Another reverberation of her friend's name in her heard prompted Asami to look for her next contender. She threw the small stone at the first one she saw, pegging him right in his eye. She was going to charge him while he was blinded, if one of the others hadn't snuck around her. He put his arms under Asami's and lifted up, grabbing both her wrists and pulling them tight behind her head.

_Well, crap, _she thought. _Time to see if they can actually hit._

Korra.

Another image of her best friend flashed through Asami's mind, and she began to squirm as best she could in the man's grip. Asami tried to look around for Korra, but she couldn't see much beyond what was in front of her. The mere thought that these men might hurt Korra caused Asami's heart to pump liquid hatred through her limbs, imbuing them with renewed strength. She fought, kicked, and cursed at the man holding her, but to no avail. They had her.

"Who _are _you people?" she yelled at the one in front of her. "What do you want?"

The man was holding his eye with one hand, trying to stop the bleeding. When he spoke he had a gruff voice, like years of alcoholism were finally catching up to him. "You got a helluva'n arm, girl. And some spunk, too," he added. "I like that. Let's talk."

"Where is it?" he said.

Asami was stunned. If this wasn't such a dangerous situation, she might've laughed.

"Where's what?"

He motioned towards Asami, and the third man planted a solid punch in her gut, followed by a quick jab across the face. She yelped with each hit, but just grit her teeth and took it. _As long as they're hitting me, that means they're not hitting Korra, _she thought._ All I can do now is buy her a little time. Maybe the police might decide to do their job tonight and rescue us._

Asami looked up at the man who had spoken. He walked a little closer to look directly into her face. When he was close enough she summoned the largest glob of spit and blood she could, and spat right in his face.

_They hate it when you do that_.

He wiped the bloody spittle off his face with the back of his hand, then used that same hand to slap Asami. A good slap can hurt much worse than a punch. A slap stings, and you feel it for a long time afterwards. This particular slap nearly blinded Asami, and she started seeing lights. When she still remained silent the man pointed to a nearby alley. She guessed that meant that they had a getaway vehicle in there, and wherever these goons were going, she was sure that she wouldn't like it.

_Korra._

"Asami!"

The man holding her suddenly screamed in pain, dropping his grip on her wrists. Asami whirled around and caught a whiff of a burning smell. Like melting rubber, but mixed with burning hair. She didn't know what caused him to drop her, but she didn't waste any time. She tripped the third man in front of her and gave him a good face-stomping like she'd given their leader. As she turned to face the last one, Asami felt a wave of heat fly right by her. Before her eyes, the last man, the one who had spoken, burst into flames and ran screaming.

_What the hell?_

Asami turned to seek the source of this flame, but what she saw scared the life out of her.

Korra was lying crumpled on the ground, eyes wide and breathing very heavily. She had one of her hands thrust out in front of her, using the other to prop herself up off the ground, but both arms were shaking badly. Judging by the way her legs were splayed, Asami guessed that Korra had not only just firebended, but she had also stood up out of her chair, which lay next to her.

Asami rushed to Korra's side just as she collapsed, and she gently picked her up and held her steady in her lap. Korra couldn't stop shaking all over, but Asami held on tight.

"It's OK, Korra, it's gonna be alright," she whispered to her broken friend. "I'm here, look, it's me, Asami. I've got you. I'm here, Korra. I'm right here."

Korra was hyperventilating, and her eyes rolled up into her head.

The last thing Korra saw before she blacked out was Asami's tear-strewn face.


	4. Chapter 3: Recovery

CHAPTER III: RECOVERY

Korra was awake before she opened her eyes. In truth, she was afraid to open them. She wasn't sure what she was going to see when she did, so she just lay there, listening and breathing. She wasn't laying on the concrete streets of the City, that much she was sure of. Whatever she was laying on was far too comfortable for that. Her surroundings also didn't smell like the City streets, so Korra figured that those were good signs. Wherever she was, she was safe. Her body didn't hurt or ache any more than it usually did, that was good too.

The events of last night returned to her memory in a rush, and that finally got her up.

Korra snapped up to a sitting position fast as lightning, scaring an obviously tired-looking Pema sitting at her bedside.

_Thank the spirits, _Korra thought. _I'm back at the island._

But then, where was Asami?

"Korra! Oh, you gave me such a fright. Were you having another bad dream?" Pema asked, putting a hand to her chest in worry.

"Where's Asami?" Korra asked, completely ignoring Pema's question.

Pema's expression of worry deepened, if that was even possible.

"Asami's hurt, Korra," she said. "She showed up at the Air Temple docks late last night carrying you, screaming to get our attention. She had been limping really badly." Seeing Korra's face go completely white, she quickly added, "but please don't worry, she will be fine. She's in a spare room in the infirmary, on the east side of the Temple."

Korra felt sick. "How bad is she?"

Just then there was a knock at the door, and Tenzin appeared, beard-first as usual.

"Sorry, but I heard you from outside," he said. "Asami will be fine, Korra. She's covered in bruises, but a few broken ribs and fractured collar bone are the worst injuries she sustained."

Korra was outraged. "Those aren't minor injuries, Tenzin!"

Waterbender healers, excluding Katara of course, could almost instantly heal any surface wound. However, more serious internal injuries, like broken bones, could only be coaxed to mend quicker. Katara was the only healer that Korra knew who could mend serious injuries like that in half the time, but even then it was a very delicate matter.

The airbending master put his hands up apologetically. "I know that, but I'm trying to tell you that she will live. There's no need to worry, Korra. What's most important for you right now is to remain as calm as you can, and get plenty of rest. The healers that have been treating you are looking over Asami right now."

Korra's first thought was to scream at him. How could she 'remain calm' when her friend had gotten the stuffing beat out of her while she had been stuck in a wheelchair? And the same healers that couldn't heal her were trying to treat _Asami? _Those healers couldn't fix a sandwich, let alone broken ribs!

Instead of yelling, though, she took a deep breath and said, "I want to see her."

Tenzin looked to Pema for assistance, as they silently argued over who was going to tell her the bad news.

Pema decided she was brave enough. "Asami's asleep, Korra. The healers think she may have suffered some head trauma. Like Tenzin said, they're examining her right now. You can't see her just yet-Korra, no!"

Korra was already throwing the bed sheets off of herself, and was trying to get off the bed and into her wheelchair before Pema had finished talking. _Like hell I'm not allowed to see Asami,_ she thought.

Tenzin came over to help Pema coax Korra into staying still. He put a gentle but assertive hand on Korra's shoulder. "Please, Korra. You _both _need your rest, you and Asami. When she's able to have visitors, we'll come get you. I promise. But please, for now you just need to stay in bed and rest."

Korra could see there was no way to win this argument. Also, she was physically too weak to push away both Pema and Tenzin, so she gave up and slumped back into bed without another word. She was too dazed to speak, anyway. Her friend, her best friend, was lying unconscious somewhere close by, and Korra wasn't allowed to see her. The injustice of it ate away at Korra's already-tenuous grasp on her emotions. Thankfully, both Pema and Tenzin saw that Korra wasn't going to speak to them, so they softly shut the door and left.

As soon as she heard their footsteps go down the hall and round the corner, Korra let loose. She slammed her head down as hard as she could onto her pillow, which was silly, considering how soft they were. The stream of tears that burst out from under her eyelids was like a stream of molten lava. Korra didn't want to cry. She hated crying. But she also couldn't think of any better way to express her rage and confusion at the situation without yelling. She still wanted to yell, though she didn't know who or what to address her anger to. So she just laid there and cried.

Her tears came from the myriad of emotions that had been assaulting her the past couple of days. They felt hot on her cheeks, as if they were bubbling up from some well of hatred deep within herself. But what was she angry at? At Tenzin, for not letting her see Asami? At Pema, for worrying too much? Sure, she might be frustrated with both of them, but not nearly enough to feel all this hatred. And it _was_ hatred she felt, of that Korra was sure, but it was woven so tightly together with confusion that she couldn't pinpoint the source. She hated the men from last night for attacking them. No, those men didn't attack _them, _because Korra herself was never touched by those goons. She hated them for attacking _Asami_. She hated herself for being so disabled. She hated that she couldn't say why she felt so pleasantly weird around Asami.

That's where the swell of confusion-tears were coming from. Korra didn't know what to make of her feelings for Asami anymore. Clearly she thought of her as more than a simple friend, but that was obvious. Korra knew enough about the world to realize that it wasn't uncommon to see women together in a romantic relationship, or men with other men, for that matter. Especially here in Republic City. But did she think of Asami in that way? _Could _she think of her like that? Korra just simply didn't know right now, and then the hatred-tears started again. She hated that she didn't know what to think, and she also hated not knowing who to trust with this information, or who she could talk to that could perhaps make things more clear.

Korra was still deep in these same thoughts when another knock at her door startled her.

"Go away," she mumbled, not even caring who it might be.

A muffled voice came from behind the door, a familiar voice. "Um, Korra? It's me, Mako. Can I, uh…come in?"

Korra sat up while furiously swatting her own face, trying to wipe the tears away. She realized how futile this was, so she said, "Yeah, come in."

Mako entered the room casually, or about as casually as one might walk into a funeral procession. He had a hopeful expression on his face, though, which was a nice change after all the worried looks she'd been getting. His expression only brightened when he saw that Korra was alright. Korra hadn't seen Mako in over a month now, and he was wearing his police uniform, with a shiny silver RCPD badge on his chest.

Korra briefly considered confiding in Mako. Spirits know, she wanted to. Deep down, she knew that she could tell Mako anything in confidence and it would be kept secret, but this was different. She didn't quite fully know the depth of her feelings for Asami yet, so how would she ever be able to relate them in a way for Mako to understand?

He quickly came around to Korra's bedside, hovering for just a moment before closing the gap, wondering if she was OK with a hug or not. Korra spread her arms to indicate that she was, and he completed the hug, pulling the spare chair over from the table to sit next to her.

Korra held onto the hug for longer than she had anticipated, and the longing in her heart boiled over again. She began to softly cry on his shoulder, once again hating the image of weakness that she was conveying, which of course only served to pour more hatred-tears through her eyes. She didn't want Mako to see her like this. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. What on earth was she going to do about these new feelings? Even if she could make Mako understand, that wouldn't accomplish anything.

Mako almost jumped when Korra started crying, thinking he'd maybe squeezed a little too hard and hurt her. "Korra, I'm—," he began, trying to back out of the hug without hurting her further.

Korra held on tight, though. "No, don't…please…I just—," was all she could get out in between sobs.

"OK, OK, sorry," Mako said softly, easing back into the embrace. Even in her weakened condition, Korra still had a helluva bear hug. He hadn't held onto her for this long since, well, since before they had decided that it wasn't going to work out between the two of them. It had been hard on both of them, and Mako had finally gotten used to being around her again before the fight with the Red Lotus. But that was behind them. Right now, one of his dearest friends was sobbing uncontrollably on his shoulder, so he tried to comfort her as best he could.

Quite frankly, Mako had never heard Korra cry like this before. He'd heard her cry once or twice before now, but never like this. There was an uncharacteristic depth of emotion behind it: Korra was typically _not _an emotional person. But now it felt like she was literally emptying her soul on his shoulder. It was…almost nice. Of course, whatever was bothering his friend so much worried Mako, but it was somehow relieving to hear Korra cry like this. At least she was venting in a non-violent way, for once.

* * *

After about five more minutes, Korra had let go of Mako and was sitting up in bed wiping her eyes. She hadn't told Mako anything about why she was crying, and he hadn't asked either, and she was grateful for that. _There's no way I can tell this to Mako, _she decided. _He wouldn't understand. I don't even fully understand it myself, so there's no point in saying it out loud. _Did she have a crush on Asami?

Mako interrupted her thoughts with a polite throat-clearing, indicating that he wanted to speak. Korra looked over at him, still wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mako. I…I'm just a mess right now, I guess," she said.

"No, it's alright Korra. I mean, I'm always here for you if you need me," he replied. He started playing with his hands in his lap, nervous about something. "I know that I haven't…y'know… been around much lately, and I wanted to apologize for that. If you feel up to it, you can always write me if you're not feeling well enough for a visit—."

"I know, Mako," Korra interrupted. "It's fine, really. I know I haven't been easy to be around. You don't have to feel sorry."

Mako relaxed tremendously at that, as if he had been expecting some rude or spiteful remark from her. Now that that was out of the way, he eased up and continued.

"I heard about what happened last night, the attack on you two," he said. "We've got police and detectives scouring the dockside area right now, actually."

"Gee, thanks," Korra snorted before she could stop herself, "the police would've been more useful _during _the attack."

She immediately felt bad about saying that. Korra assumed that Tenzin had notified Lin Beifong after Asami showed up last night, carrying an unconscious Korra. But of course the cops couldn't possibly keep watch over the entire City at all times, but Korra still felt that bubbling pool of hatred inside her. It just hadn't boiled over yet.

"Right," Mako said, "sorry about that. Anyway, as soon as I heard about it I wanted to rush here to see you. I do need to ask you some questions, though." He reached up to his chest pocket for a pen and notepad, lifting the first page up and over before scribbling something.

_So that's what this surprise visit is about,_ Korra thought. _He's here to file the police report!_ The cold logic of it suddenly slammed into the forefront of Korra's mind. It was common knowledge all across Republic City that Mako and Korra were friends, so _of course _the police would ask Mako to come interrogate Asami and Korra after they had just been mugged the night before. He didn't really care about Korra's safety or well-being. Hell, this was the first time she had seen him in over a month! Where was Mako when she needed help eating? Where was Mako when she couldn't sleep at night? Where was Mako when she had once tried to get out of bed by herself in the middle of the night and had fallen down, yelling pitifully for someone to come help her?!

Asami was there. Asami did ALL of those things for Korra, and more. Asami had never once left her side when she needed help. Asami had fed her, helped to dress her, even helped to _bathe _her in the early weeks of Korra's recovery. Asami had done _everything_, and Mako had let her. It didn't matter if Mako had some stupid job to do. For spirit's sake, Asami was the CEO of an entire company, and she was still there with Korra every step of the way! For all Korra knew, Future Industries was probably tanking right now because of Asami's unspoken dedication to her.

Korra suddenly felt sick. The worst part wasn't that Mako didn't care about her. It wasn't even the fact that he had virtually disappeared a month ago, leaving her alone. The worst of it was that _Asami _was the one who was hurt now, not Korra, and here was Mako apologizing to _her. _The worst thing about Mako's visit wasn't that he didn't care about Korra: it was that he didn't care about Asami.

Korra began to shake with rage, the sick feeling from a second ago somehow morphing into fury again. The twin pools of confusion and hatred inside of her had once again reached the boiling point, and the tears once more spilled out from her eyes.

Before Mako could even take a breath to ask his first police question, Korra screamed:

"GET OUT!"

Mako froze in place, not knowing what he had done wrong.

"Korra, I—."

"GET…OUT!" she yelled, almost ripping her lungs and throat from the effort.

When Mako didn't immediately move, Korra started grasping for things to throw at him, but all that was within reach were pillows. She threw pillow after pillow at him, sobbing the whole time. Mako apparently got the message, and he ran to the door before turning to look at her. His eyes were wild, and he looked into the hallway and back at Korra again, wondering if he should try to calm her down. He changed his mind when he saw her trying to yank the bedside lamp away from the wall, hoping to throw that at him as well. Mako took off at a brisk pace down the hall without another word.

Now that he was gone, Korra slumped back down onto the only pillow that she hadn't thrown. The tears were still coming, and she didn't think they would stop anytime soon. She turned over onto her side, her back to the door, and she could hear the pitter-patter of her tears running down her cheek, then falling onto the bed.

Why had she done that to Mako? Because she thought he didn't care about Asami? Nothing she was doing or thinking made any sense. The only rational thought in Korra's head right now was centered on Asami's well-being. The irrational thoughts that orbited that one were also about Asami, but these were less clear. These thoughts were the ones that were driving her crazy. They ranged from simple things, like the sight of Asami's beautiful emerald eyes against her midnight-black hair, to more complex and emotionally-charged memories. Like when their hands had touched last night at dinner, and Korra's stomach had done a backflip.

_This is getting out of hand,_ she thought, or maybe she dreamed that. All her crying and that last tantrum against Mako had worn her out, and she felt herself slowly slipping into sleep.

When she finally crested the hill into unconsciousness, she saw Asami.


	5. Chapter 4: Down the Rabbit-Hole

CHAPTER IV: DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE

Asami was lying silently on her bed in the Air Temple Infirmary, and the healers were running streams of glowing water across her limbs and chest, trying to mend the wounds she had received last night.

At least, Asami's _body _was in the infirmary.

Asami herself was floating somewhere far away, somewhere she'd been before, though she couldn't say where or when. It was nice here, for the most part.

She looked all around her in every possible direction, not being able to tell which way was up, but she saw something far, far away. It was like a sunset viewed through the wrong end of a telescope, making it look much further away than it really was. Except this thing really was that far from Asami. It was the only clearly visible object around, so she started walking towards it. Or floating towards it, it was hard to tell.

Suddenly she heard a familiar sound from behind her. It almost sounded like a young girl laughing. That was the tricky thing about this place, though. Everything felt familiar. She knew she had been here before. Hadn't she been here with someone last time? But who?

Asami turned around to see what caused the noise, and she would've yelped if she could have. No sound came out of her mouth when she tried to speak, but this didn't bother her too much. The thing in front of her was much more worrisome.

It looked like a pool of dark water, and it was bubbling violently. Asami went right up to the edge of it and looked down, trying to make out the shapes she could see moving around under the surface. The surface of the water itself jumped up to touch Asami, and she recoiled, but a hand had escaped the dark fluid and grabbed hold of her, pulling her in.

Asami held her breath, expecting to be immersed in the almost-black water. When she couldn't hold her breath any longer, she gasped for air, noticing that it was in fact _air _that she was breathing, not water. She looked around her as the details of her surroundings began to solidify, like watching a glass of water slowly freeze.

She was back in Republic City's Academy for Young Ladies. More specifically, she was sitting in a classroom desk watching her old teacher, Ms. Tiritomo, lecture about the importance and power of electricity. Asami noticed that not quite everything about the room was clear-cut. Most of the students around her were shapeless shadows sitting in desks, the little details about them melting and mixing with the rest of their bodies. Only two people in the whole room were identifiable and life-like, as was the chalk-board that Ms. Tiritomo was writing on.

Tiritomo herself was very clearly pictured, at least compared to the other students. Her facial features were a little runny, but Asami could make out what she was saying. The chalk-board, though, was much brighter than the teacher. Ah yes, Asami remembered. This was the lecture that first got her interested in engineering. Electricity and its use had always fascinated her, but if this was _that _particular lecture, that meant that the scene in front of her was from when Asami was only thirteen years old. But when she looked down at herself sitting in the desk, she still saw her present-day, twenty-one-year-old self. Weird.

Ms. Tiritomo was evidently just getting started, because Asami heard a collective groan from the students around the room. She remembered that groan, too. She also remembered that she had looked to the front of the room right after that groan, so that's what Asami did.

She saw the only other person that had a clear shape sitting near the front row, attentively watching the teacher. Giji Kirasito, a tall blonde girl with just a splash of light freckles around her dark-blue eyes. Oh yes, Asami remembered her. That must be why Giji was so much clearer than anything else in this room. In fact, whereas the other students were shapeless blobs of shadow, Giji was like a definitive bright star in the night sky. Asami was surprised that she hadn't noticed how clear Giji was before now.

Giji Kirasito turned around and looked right at Asami. Suddenly the rest of the room collapsed around the two of them, as if everything else were made of fresh paint and someone had just washed it all away. Now there was only Giji Kirasito and Asami, surrounded by the same black water that she had seen earlier. Or maybe the dark fluid had always been there. Asami tried to move, but found she had no control. Giji didn't move, either, but just sat there and looked at Asami. Then the strangest thing happened. The girl spoke.

"What are you trying to say, Asami?"

This made Asami shiver with fear. Or it would have, if she could move at all. Instead, it made the entire scene shake, and it continued to shake with every word that Giji said. The girl's voice sounded exactly like Asami remembered, only it was distorted. There was a darkness to it, as if an underlying mass of repressed angst and fear coated every word like a poisoned blade.

Asami couldn't open her mouth to respond to the girl. Giji continued speaking:

"You can't be serious…oh, you thought…? Ahahahaha!"

The dark fluid hovering over everything began to contract in on itself, and Asami could see the surface of it if she looked up. Or at least, in the direction she thought was up. It was like being in deep water and looking up as you rose to the surface, except the surface of this black water was coming to _her_.

"No, Asami! Don't _ever_ talk to me again!" Giji screamed.

Giji's last words finally shattered the black mass of liquid around them, sending Asami up and out with the flow. She felt herself being swept along by the current, though she still couldn't tell which direction she was moving in. She was just glad to get away from Giji Kirasito.

Asami blinked to keep the dark water out of her eyes, and when she opened them again she breathed a sigh of relief. She was back in the empty space looking at the distant sunset, only this time it was a little closer, though no more clear than it had been before. Why had she been taken back to her old school? She liked it here in this empty space, where she was now. At least Giji wasn't here to mock her with that voice. That voice that had always seemed to be dipped in honey, like her luscious hair. Asami remembered daydreaming about Giji's hair, what it must feel like, how it twirls around in the wind. Giji Kirasito: Asami's first real crush, and her first heartbreak.

It had been horrible for Asami. The memory that had just played out in front of her, the classroom scene, was the day that Asami decided to tell Giji how she felt. Before this, she and Giji had been very close friends, almost inseparable. They were the same age, and they both had entered the Academy for Young Ladies at the same time, and had immediately hit it off. Asami had struggled with herself for two years before this day, the day that she finally worked up the courage to convey her feelings for Giji. The day that Giji cruelly laughed in her face. But Asami was past that now, had been past it for years. After that horrible day, Asami had come to terms with her sexuality, embracing the fact that she was attracted to men _and _women. Giji's laughter had haunted her for a while after that, but she no longer cared what a stupid thirteen-year-old girl thought anymore. So why was Giji haunting her now?

She could still feel the dark fluid around her, as if it was clinging to her clothes. Asami wanted to leave now, or at the very least catch up to that setting sun before it fully sunk behind the horizon. Asami figured that she had plenty of time, so she didn't rush. She started walking toward it again, noticing that this time she was actually walking, not floating. She took that as a good sign. Maybe the black water wouldn't come back.

Asami took several steps toward the setting sun before she noticed the creaking noise under her feet. It wasn't a creaking sound, not really. It reminded her of the very small sound that a pin makes when you drop it on the ground. Something that you really have to concentrate to be able to hear. She stopped walking and looked down at her feet. Nothing strange there. Huh. She took one more step forward, this time watching her foot closely for the source of that tiny noise. Just as her foot landed, she heard it. It wasn't a creaking sound, after all. It was more akin to the sound that wood makes when it splinters, except it was barely audible. Yep, definitely not a creaking sound. More like ice that's about the break.

Asami took another step forward and fell through. She plunged deep underneath the paper-thin surface that she had been walking on, sinking far enough to blot out any light. But then she kept sinking even after that. Just as the light had slowly dimmed as she sank farther and farther under the ice, once she reached total darkness and then continued to sink, her surroundings slowly illuminated again, and all the time Asami was sinking faster and faster. The dimming and re-illumination of the light around her became faster as well, eventually creating a strobe-like effect. Finally Asami hit the bottom, or what she assumed to be the bottom, and she knelt down to feel what was there. This new surface that she was now standing on felt cold to the touch, as did the liquid around her. Just like last time, though, she didn't need to hold her breath.

Asami looked around, not knowing what to do next. There wasn't anything here, except the layer of ice that she was standing on. Looking down, she saw a pulsating light underneath the surface, right between her feet. She reached down to touch it, but the ice was blocking her, so she started swatting at it with her hands. The ice was giving way to her efforts, so she crouched down and began to dig into it. It seemed like she was making good progress, but then a hand shot out from underneath her. It was just a hand, a normal human hand, protruding in an inviting way. Asami took hold of it before thinking against it, and the hand pulled her through.

When she surfaced, she was coughing and spluttering. Her lungs hurt, and she was soaking wet. She was also practically freezing to death. She looked around her to see where she was, but before all the details had melted into place another hand picked her up. This time, though, it also placed a blanket around her shoulders, which she was glad for. It was _really_ cold here, and she was soaked to the bone. The mysterious hands had a body, and she hugged this body while it led her to a nearby fire. It sat her down on one side of the fire, then the body sat next to her and continued hugging her to keep warm. Then Asami remembered where she was.

She was in the North Pole, having gone there with the Republic City Wildlife Association when she had been sixteen. Yes, Asami remembered. She originally joined the group a few months before this trip, and she wouldn't ever admit this to anyone, but she joined up with them because she had fallen head-over-heels for one of its members: Rinsho Hikari. That's who the hands belonged to. At the time, he was also in a Pro-Bending team, though only in the minor leagues. He had been three years older than Asami, too. A very talented waterbender, Rinsho had dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders, with hazel eyes to match. The RCWA was here at the North Pole documenting the migratory patterns of the native whale-squids, and Asami and Rinsho had snuck away to watch the Northern Lights together.

Which was, of course, when Asami had fallen through the ice. Now, Asami was warming herself by the fire, trying to stave off hypothermia. But she didn't really feel cold. That's just what she remembered doing back when this actually happened. She looked over at Rinsho, who was trying to make the fire bigger. They had dated in the few months before this expedition, and Asami remembered them as being some of the best months in her life.

He was mumbling something. "Dammit, I'm sorry Asami. It's all my fault. I just radioed the team for help, they'll be here soon, don't worry."

Asami couldn't remember exactly what she had said to him after that. Apparently, she didn't need to say it.

"No, Asami, you're not fine. You'll freeze to death if you stay out here! I'm going to get you out of this, I promise."

Rinsho's voice didn't have any extra layers of evil to it like Giji's had had. And when he spoke, the world around her didn't shake like an earthquake. But there was something wrong here, like she was remembering something that didn't even happen. She couldn't explain it, but something was off.

She looked again at Rinsho. He was wearing the heavy fur coat that the RCWA had given them all when they had arrived at the North Pole. It was an ivory color with dark fur accents lining the hood and wrists, and he had his hood drawn.

That's what was different. When this had happened for real, Rinsho hadn't been wearing his hood. Asami couldn't make out the details of his face.

Off to her left, Asami heard the team of snowmobiles that had come to bring her back to the observatory to warm up. Like the students in the classroom scene, the drivers of these snowmobiles were shadowy and smeared-looking. She looked to Rinsho to help her get up, and he gently got her to her feet and the two of them started off towards the vehicles.

Suddenly the scene shifted, much in the same washing-away-the-paint fashion it had done before. Asami was whirled around and felt a moment of weightlessness, before coming to a stop and finding that her feet had come into contact with a solid surface again. She wasn't outside in the freezing North Pole air anymore. She looked around, at first a little distressed at how dark it was in here. She stumbled about and waved her arms in front of her, hoping to find something to help her see. She ran into a wall, and feeling along the side of it she found a light switch, so she flipped it.

Asami was back in her room at the North Pole Observatory, and she knew that this was a few days after she had fallen through the ice. This place had fascinated her the first time she saw it. Not her simple room, but the observatory itself. She couldn't see it now, being inside, but she knew that it consisted of a massive glass dome built over the freezing waters, with a lab and living quarters housed in a separate building next to it on land. The living quarters had plenty of rooms, so at the time Asami had chosen to bunk alone. There was no one else in this room with her.

Looking down, she noticed that some oddly-shaped lights were glowing on the floor. Leaning over for a closer look, Asami saw that they were footprint-shaped lights, and they led over to the door. She followed the glowing footprints over and opened the door. Just as she'd thought, the footprints led out of her room and down the hall to the right. Well, there was nothing else to do, so she followed them.

The footprint-lights had an eerie quality to them, and she didn't like how they glowed, so Asami tried to follow them exactly. That is, she was putting her feet on the prints to cover them up as she walked. They were _her_ footprints.

They led her to a closed door at the far end of the hallway. She was still in the living quarters, and it was very late. Well, it had been late when this had actually happened. Asami didn't know what time it was wherever she was, where she _really _was. If she was anywhere.

Asami approached the door. There was a soft light playing under it from inside the room. Did she have to touch the door to open it? She'd manually flipped the light switch in her room, and she'd gripped the handle of the door to open it. But whenever it came time for her to speak, as if she were an actress in a mover, she hadn't said anything, yet Rinsho had continued as if she had.

As she was thinking these things, her question was answered. The door opened by itself, and she stepped forward to look inside the room. She remembered that this was Rinsho's room. He was lying on the bed along the far wall, but there was another girl next to him. They were holding each other and kissing passionately. Asami felt the twin daggers of hurt and jealousy stab her heart yet again, just as they had on the night she had _actually _discovered this act. She remembered that the first cohesive thought that had come to her was 'Rinsho had never kissed _me_ like that.'

Once again, she didn't have to do anything except watch. Rinsho and the other girl (Asami never bothered to learn her name) suddenly sprang off the bed, as if Asami had yelled at them, though she didn't make a sound. But the old Asami, the one from this memory, had indeed yelled at them at the time. The girl knew who Asami was, however, and she covered her face in guilt. That is to say, she knew she had been kissing Asami's then-boyfriend. Rinsho got up and started towards Asami, and she noticed that his face was covered up again. Not by a hood this time, but it looked like a massive empty hole. Where his face should have been, there was only a dark gaping hole attached to his neck. He kept coming towards her, but she had had enough. She grabbed the edge of the door and slammed it in his face, and it felt good. That wasn't what she had done at the time, though.

What she _had_ done then was slump against the doorframe, not being able to believe what she had just seen. Rinsho had come over to her and held his hands out apologetically, saying something like 'I can explain.' Rinsho Hikari: her second major heartbreak. But why was his face blotted out like that?

She definitely hadn't slammed the door like she had just done now.

Her surroundings partially collapsed again, leaving only the door to Rinsho's room in view. The door suddenly blasted off its hinges, knocking Asami down. An intense heat was emanating from the room, and when she looked into it all she saw were flames. A dark figure emerged out of these flames, like a silhouette against a bright sun. Looking back into the room behind this figure, Asami saw what was feeding the flames. There were piles of photographs on the floor, fueling this massive inferno around her. She picked one up that hadn't been totally charred yet. On it was the picture she had taken with the RCWA when they had first arrived at the North Pole. She saw her old sixteen-year-old self on the left side, hugging an empty space. She remembered now.

After this episode of infidelity on Rinsho's part, she had burned out the spot where Rinsho had been in the photo.

The silhouette was standing in front of her now. Before Asami could move, it reached down and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up into the air. When she looked into its face, she saw Rinsho. She also saw Giji Kirasito looking back at her. Asami started to kick and squirm, trying to break free, but this creature had her held tight.

"You wouldn't understand, Asami," the thing said in Rinsho's voice.

_I really liked you, Rinsho, _she thought. _I really did, and you hurt me._

"You know, if you actually cared for me like you _say _you do, you'd forget about this and just be happy." Again, this was Rinsho speaking.

What had he meant by that? She remembered Rinsho had said that. Was she supposed to forget that he had been kissing another girl, and that she should feel _lucky _that Rinsho even considered her worthy enough to be with him?

Asami finally managed to wriggle loose, and she stood up and ran away. The shadowy memory caught up with her, latching onto both of her ankles.

"Why would you even _think_ that, Asami?" It was using Giji's voice now, still dripping with an evil that seeped into Asami's mind. And it was still saying things that Giji had actually said to her.

Asami found that she still couldn't speak, so she kept trying to run away. She kicked and stomped at the memory, and when she got loose again she took off as fast as she could. But her past wouldn't let her off that easily.

Rinsho and Giji appeared before her, separately this time. Which was somehow even more horrific than the two of them inhabiting the same shadowy body. Asami tried to back away, but another set of Rinshos and Gijis materialized behind her. Everywhere she looked there were Rinshos and Gijis, all looking intently at her. The Gijis all began to laugh in unison, that same crazed laugh that Asami remembered from adolescence. The laugh that had taunted her for trying to tell her then-best friend that Asami was attracted to her.

All of the Rinshos heads burst into flames, while the Gijis continued to laugh.

"No I don't, Asami!" the Gijis yelled.

"You don't deserve me," the Rinshos said.

They continued like this for what felt like an eternity before Asami crumbled to the ground. She was defeated. She couldn't take any more of this. She didn't want to remember these things. Was Asami dead? Was she about to die? Why was she being tortured with these images of heartbreak, these two events from her early life that continued to haunt her whenever she felt an attraction for someone?

If Asami was about to die, she didn't want to go out by remembering these things. She wanted to remember the better times of her life, like when she drove her first satomobile with her dad. Or when she had built her first motor all by herself, laboring for days just to prove to herself that she could do it. Or the friends that she had now, the ones she knew would never hurt her like this. If Asami was going to die, she wanted to remember Mako, Bolin, Opal, Tenzin, Meelo, Ikki, or Jinora. If Asami was going to die, she wanted to remember Korra most of all.

_Korra._

The Rinshos and Gijis suddenly stopped laughing and taunting. They stood completely still, and the only sound was Asami's labored breathing.

_Korra_.

The Rinshos began to scream in pain all around her, and the flames covering their heads intensified in heat and size, engulfing their whole bodies.

_ Korra._

One by one, the Rinshos began to disappear in clouds of smoke and ash, leaving only Asami and the Gijis around her. Asami stood up.

_Korra._

Now the Rinshos were all gone, and the Gijis began laughing hysterically again. No, not laughing. They were _crying_, every last Giji Kirasito around her was crying.

_Korra._

Whereas the Rinshos had burst into flames and vaporized, the Gijis were slowly melting. Asami picked one of them out of the group and stood over it, concentrating on the source of painful memory that anchored this demon in her mind.

_Korra!_

The one Giji that Asami had chosen looked up at her with hatred and pain in her eyes. Asami smiled down at it. Giji Kirasito, the original Giji Kirasito, the one that had so crushed Asami, was actually pathetic. This one before her was no different.

"I'm through running away from you," Asami said, finally able to speak.

_Korra!_

All the other Gijis had melted away, and this last one finally let out a muffled scream as it burnt away all of Asami's pent-up frustration with it.

She was back at the empty space again. There were no Rinsho Hikaris, no Giji Kirasitos. Just Asami and the slowly setting sun. Except now that she was much closer to it, Asami noticed that it wasn't a _setting _sun.

It was a sunrise. A new beginning.


	6. Chapter 5: Close Encounter

CHAPTER V: CLOSE ENCOUNTER

"KORRA!"

Asami had yelled before her eyes were even fully open. The waterbender healers were standing in a corner of the room, quietly discussing their next steps. Clearly not expecting Asami to be awake, let alone yell, each of them practically jumped out of their skin in fright.

Asami didn't know where she was, but that wasn't important. She could figure that out later. All that mattered right now was finding Korra and making sure she was safe. The events of the night before (she assumed it was the night before: she didn't really know how much time had passed, which worried her more) suddenly flashed through her memory, and her desire to know the whereabouts of her friend was overwhelming.

She had sat up in the pool of healing-water that she was half-submerged in and was in the process of getting up before the waterbender healers even moved. Two of them tried to restrain her by putting their hands on her shoulders, but they were being too careful. They knew the full extent of Asami's injuries, a fact that she herself wasn't aware of yet, and because they didn't want to hurt her further they consequently didn't use enough force to restrain her. Asami managed to shove them both aside, causing one healer to splash haphazardly through the healing-water, and she struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth through the pain.

_Crap,_ she thought. _Those thugs really did a number on me_.

She clutched her chest and stomach, noticing that most of the pain was coming from there. The base of her neck also throbbed insidiously, and she had to keep her head level to lessen the pain. When Asami touched her chest, though, she took note that she had been undressed down to her underwear, leaving only an undershirt and shorts on her. There was a layer of bandages tightly woven around her abdomen as well. Her head, too, was bandaged. She briefly wondered how long she'd been in that healing-water.

_If this pain is any indication, then not very long._

The other three waterbender healers were dumbstruck, but the two that Asami had shaken off had now recovered, and one of them lifted a stream of water out of the pools, bending it right towards Asami. He froze her feet in place, immediately halting her progress.

The other healers were further dismayed by this aggressive action from their leader. Their job was to mend the girl's wounds, not potentially cause more.

"Miss Sato, please!" the lead healer said, flabbergasted. "You might not remember it, but you have been seriously injured and you _need _to stay put."

_Like hell I don't remember it, _she thought. _That's why I got up in the first place!_

Asami reached down to try to knock the ice off her feet, but the act of bending over multiplied the intensity of the pain in her chest, knocking the wind out of her.

At the protestations of the other healers, the one that had frozen Asami's feet made a sharp motion with his hands to melt the ice, causing her to fall flat on her face, yelping when she made contact with the floor. Her adrenaline had worn off, and now she really felt the pain. Judging by the sharp sting that accompanied every breath, she figured that at least two rows of her ribs were broken. Her head throbbed steadily, as if the veins in her temples were threatening to burst. Two of the healers ran over to gently pick her up, and they carried her back to the pool of healing-water, slowly lowering her in up to her neck.

The water was lukewarm, but it didn't make her feel any better, which was odd. Asami had been treated by waterbenders before, and usually the water had always immediately soothed her as soon as she was submerged. This water felt different, though. It made her dizzy, like she was being spun around in place very quickly. It was sedating her, to be sure, but it wasn't a relaxing sedation. It just felt _wrong._

The healer that had frozen her feet shot a quick glance at the others, and waved them away. He waited until the other healers had left the room and closed the sliding doors before he continued.

He spoke slowly and methodically. Or maybe that's just how Asami heard it. There was definitely something wrong with this water. "That was quite an impressive display, Miss Sato. I hadn't counted on you regaining consciousness so quickly."

"Wha…where's Korra?" she mumbled. Her mouth had gone dry, and her lips felt heavy. What was he doing to her? What was in this water?

The healer smirked. "The Avatar is here on Air Temple Island, though she has refused to see you."

Asami shook her head. _That can't be true, _she thought. _He's lying, but why? _Even Asami's thinking was starting to slow down. She had to get out of this water. She had to find Korra.

"I d-don't…..believe you," she said. "Where….where is she!"

The waterbender had ignored what she said. He was pacing around the pool of healing-water, looking at _it _instead of at Asami, and murmuring to himself. "How is it that she's able to resist….perhaps a little more might work? No, no….I don't want to risk…"

Asami didn't know what any of that was supposed to mean, but she did know that this healer was up to no good. Hadn't she seen him before? Yes, he was one of the healers that had been treating Korra. Had he been putting her in this same water? It was no wonder that Korra's temper was always worse after these sessions. Asami herself began to feel nauseous.

Asami had cleared her head enough to shake it again, momentarily bringing clarity back to her vision. She tried sitting up, but couldn't move past the wall of pain in her abdomen.

The healer looked back down at her. "You aren't going anywhere, Miss Sato. My employer would like to have some words with you. He will be here shortly," he said in a matter-of-fact style. "He might have even let you go, and you could have been with your precious Avatar by now, had you not tried to kill the men I sent to fetch you last night." Seeing Asami's outraged expression at the mention of Korra, he added, "Oh don't worry, my dear. The Avatar will live. It's _you _he's so interested in seeing."

Asami couldn't fight the drugged water any longer.

* * *

Korra awoke with the worst headache of her life. As it turns out, crying for so long can sometimes leave you feeling worse than when you started, and her eye sockets were sore from the effort. She definitely didn't want to make a habit of crying like that.

Korra had fallen asleep facing the wall, and she turned over to look at the table across from her bed. Her heart sank when she saw that Asami wasn't sitting there. In her confused, crying-induced sleep, Korra had almost forgotten what had happened to her friend. The chair by the table was still knocked over from when she drove Mako out of her room, and the pillows from her bed were strewn about as well. Poor Mako. She was going to have to apologize for that, though she couldn't imagine how to begin that apology.

After all, she couldn't say 'sorry for being so rude, Mako. It's just that I'm struggling with my feelings for Asami right now, and you pissed me off.' Nope, that wouldn't do.

Korra rolled over in bed to lie on her back, gazing up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and breathed. _In an effort to uncover my feelings for one friend,_ she thought, _I scared another one off. Nice job, Korra. _

It seemed that Air Temple Island was determined to not let her rest for too long. She heard a commotion from somewhere, and someone was speaking in a raised voice. A few moments later she heard the unmistakable sound of rapidly freezing water, which meant only one thing: waterbenders. Korra sat up, wondering what those stupid waterbender healers were up to. Just thinking about them rose her ire. She also wondered if they were still treating Asami, because she didn't know how long she'd been asleep. If they were still here, what the heck were they freezing?

Korra realized that she hadn't been to a healing session since yesterday afternoon. She'd been seeing the healers twice daily since she had returned to Republic City, once in the mornings and then again before her last meal of the day. But she hadn't been treated at all today, and judging by the dim almost-dusk sky outside, she'd already missed both sessions for the day.

Korra flexed her arms experimentally, bracing for the dull sting that normally accompanied an action like this. But it never came. Only just recently had her arms been restored to usable quality, with her legs lagging far behind in that race, but usually she still felt a muffled pain in them when she tried anything over-strenuous. She reached across her chest to place the fist of one hand under her other arm, and used that fist to pull her arm across in a stretching motion. She did the same with the other arm, stretching both of them. But there was virtually no pain. All her limbs still felt like semi-limp noodles, especially her legs, but that was from disuse more than anything. This feeling was great, though. Her arms didn't hurt anymore! Korra couldn't wait to tell Asami, as soon as she was well enough to have visitors.

Korra didn't hear any more freezing sounds from the infirmary, but now the sliding doors to the healing room had opened. She heard a few sets of feet hurry out and then slide the doors shut again before taking off down the hall.

_What's going on with those healers?_

Korra looked around for her wheelchair. Unfortunately, it lay clear across the room near the door. _Well_, she thought, _here goes nothing._

The last time Korra had tried to walk herself to her chair, her knees had given out, and at the time her arms hadn't been strong enough to support her. Now, though, she thought that she just might be able to do it. _Just take it slow,_ she thought. _I can do this. _She swung her lower body over the side of the bed so that she was sitting on the edge, dangling her feet. She wriggled her toes to check for any pain, not really wanting to rush this and jump out of bed onto legs that were still too weak. When her toes didn't signal any pain she tried rolling her ankles. They were pretty stiff, but still no inherent throbbing, no bone-weariness at all. Then she flexed her whole leg, left first, and pointed her toes straight out in front of her. This was the first time she'd been able to fully extend one of her legs without gritting her teeth. She did the right leg next, and she was pleased with the results.

_So far, so good, _Korra thought happily. _Maybe those healers aren't so stupid, after all._

However, the irony of this hadn't escaped her. Korra thought it was strange that she should wake up to find that her limbs are suddenly better on the _only _day that she hadn't received any healing. Neither her arms nor her legs were back to their original strength, but still. It was odd. The water that her healers had been using to treat her always left her feeling numb and disoriented, but until now Korra just assumed that was because her injuries were so severe. The poison that Zaheer and the Red Lotus had put into her had virtually melted some of her muscle tissue, or at least that's how it had felt to Korra. But the fact that missing a day's worth of healing had actually improved Korra's strength still seemed weird.

"OK," Korra said aloud, looking at her legs. "Let's do this."

Korra slowly lowered her legs down to the floor, holding onto the edge of the bed for support. When both of her feet were touching the ground, she paused. Korra wasn't in any pain just yet, but her whole weight wasn't on her legs, either. She eased up her grip on the bed to slowly put weight on her feet, like a swimmer gingerly testing the temperature of water with their toes. Finally, she had almost completely let go of the bed, but she was still leaning over onto it. In truth, Korra was afraid to see what her legs were capable of, or what they _weren't _capable of.

She was suddenly reminded of how she had stood out of her chair to get those men away from Asami in the streets. During most of Asami's fight with those thugs, Korra had been cowering in her wheelchair, trying to shut out all the lights and sounds of the City. But she had been able to hear Asami fight those goons, and her anger at her own disability had finally fused with her anger at the men. Korra remembered reaching down to grab the wheels of her chair, spinning one wheel forward, the other one backward, in order to turn herself around. She had turned around just in time to see Asami being held hostage, while another man had started punching her. Korra's anger evolved into pure hatred at that moment, perhaps the purest form of anger Korra had ever felt. Before she knew what she was doing, she had stood up and _firebended_ at those guys!

The memory of firebending gave Korra a sense of purpose. While the context of her bending last night wasn't exactly positive, it nonetheless filled Korra with hope simply because it had been the first time she'd bended any of the elements since her fight with Zaheer. Fire had always been the easiest element for Korra to bend, even from a very young age, so it was no surprise that she chose to firebend at those thugs. For some reason, firebending had always felt so natural to Korra, even though she knew it had something to do with her hotheadedness. Besides, her hatred had been so strong in that moment that the fire she had bended seemed like an incarnation of her fury, as if she had tried to scorch those men with her emotions.

Korra also knew that she had only been able to firebend in that moment, as well as stand up, because of Asami. Because her life had been in danger. Korra had reacted, hoping to save her friend, but really it had been Asami who'd saved her.

She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and let go of the bed.

For ten whole seconds, she was standing on her feet again. She was holding her arms out on both sides, like a tight-rope walker, to keep her balance.

_I can't believe it, _she thought. _I'm up. I'm standing up!_

Korra had taken only a few cautionary steps towards her wheelchair before her knees began to shake. _Oh no._

The stinging pain that she was used to was starting to come back, and it was spreading rapidly throughout her leg muscles. She decided to risk a few more steps to get as close as she could to the wheelchair before she lost it. She was about three feet from the chair when her legs shut down.

Right before Korra fell, she tried to lunge at her wheelchair, grunting aloud from the effort. It wasn't so much a lunge as it was a prolonged stumble, but she managed to clear the gap and latch onto the seat of the wheelchair. Her lower body had now resumed its usual useless and painful state, so she had to drag herself up onto the seat, and with a final grunt of effort and pain she was there. She had made the journey from her bed to her wheelchair, and all without any help whatsoever.

Korra would've reveled in this accomplishment, had not the distance from her bed to where she was sitting now been only ten feet. She was the Avatar. She had once assumed the form of a giant spirit-version of herself to battle Unalaq after he'd transformed into the Dark Avatar. Now, she was celebrating the fact that she had _barely _made it into a wheelchair on her own.

She sighed with relief, though she was now covered in a thin layer of sweat from the exertion.

Just then, she heard more footsteps coming down the hall. It sounded like two people, and she could hear them speaking.

It was Tenzin who spoke first.

"Please, Mister…..?" the airbender said. Whoever he was talking to, he didn't know them by name. Korra continued to sit still and listen.

"It's Tenora. Sahno Tenora," the other person said in a smooth, deep male voice. They continued walking down the hall, and it sounded like they were nearly to the branch of the living quarters where Korra's room was.

Tenzin continued, with a hint of urgency in his voice. "Please, Mr. Tenora, I'm afraid I must insist that you wait until tomorrow. She's not well enough for visitors at this time."

_Crap, _Korra thought. _Who's coming to see me now? I don't know any Mr. Tenora._ She appreciated Tenzin trying to cover for her, but apparently Mr. Sahno Tenora didn't take 'no' for an answer. Just when it sounded like they had reached the hall where Korra's room was located, they kept on walking down towards the infirmary. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't here to see Korra.

"Your concern for Miss Sato's well-being is appreciated, Master Tenzin," the guy replied, "and I do apologize for being so stubborn. But I simply _must_ check on her before leaving the City tomorrow, as I won't be back for quite some time. There are matters that I require Miss Sato's opinion on. Matters of business, you understand."

So Mr. Sahno Tenora was here for Asami? The name didn't ring any bells for Korra, but that didn't mean anything. Asami rarely spoke about her company with Korra, except when there was good news to be had. But if this guy was allowed to see Asami, by stubbornness or not, Korra was going to see Asami, too.

She gripped the wheels of her chair and started off toward the door. Korra wasn't dressed, still being in her pajama shirt and pants from earlier this morning. She had spent all day in bed, after all, which wasn't really abnormal for her lately. She immediately noticed how difficult it was to roll her own wheelchair. Her arms may be working, but they still needed some healing attention. She made it to the door without any trouble, though, and she opened it to follow Tenzin and Mr. Tenora.

Korra went left out of her room and took another left at the junction between hallways. To the right was the hallway leading to the kitchen and dining room. To the left, however, led down to the infirmary, and she could see Tenzin and Tenora arguing outside the sliding doors to the healing room. This hallway leading to the infirmary was open to the air, though around the living quarters there were windows that could be opened or closed, depending on the weather. As she rolled herself toward the healing room, she looked out to see some airbenders training in the courtyard below. Korra desperately wanted to join them. It had taken her quite a while before she had fully grasped airbending, so she wanted to impart her knowledge to help strengthen the new Air Nation.

As she got closer to the healing room, Korra got a good look at this Mr. Tenora. He was a tall man, and that was saying something when standing next to Tenzin. He had very dark black hair that was pulled backwards away from his face, ending in a short and clean-cut ponytail. But it wasn't black like Asami's hair. Asami's long dark curls seemed to be so full of life, and they shone in the sunlight. This man's hair, on the other hand, seemed to absorb light, as if it was devoid of happiness. His facial features were clean and professional as well, if somewhat boring. He was wearing a stylish and business-like overcoat, which was black to match his hair, along with equally professionally-tailored pants. Tenora's eyes were the most startling aspect of his visage, though. They were a very light blue, almost white, and they gave a piercing quality to his stare. Korra didn't like him.

As she got even closer, the two men had been arguing so intently that Tenzin didn't see Korra approach. Mr. Tenora looked over at her first, and Tenzin followed his gaze, stopping mid-sentence when he saw Korra.

"Korra! What're you….I didn't hear you wake," Tenzin stammered. "Are you alright?" He looked and sounded flustered, apparently trying his hardest to be polite to Mr. Tenora, who still wasn't accepting a 'no.'

She was going to tell Tenzin that she was fine before Tenora interrupted her, smiling courteously. "Ah, so I finally get to meet you in person," he said to Korra. He gave a slight bow, then offered his hand to her. "Avatar Korra, I'm Sahno Tenora, vice president of Future Industries. It is an extreme pleasure to meet you, though I wish the circumstances could be better."

Korra ignored the hand, saying nothing. Asami had never mentioned a vice president. She looked to Tenzin, who was still stammering to himself.

Tenora continued, not bothered at all by her rudeness. "Forgive me, that wasn't thoughtful. I see you're still in recovery, and for that I wish you the best." Tenzin opened his mouth, ready to finally speak, but Tenora cut him off. "I'm here to see my dear Miss Sato, who I understand was in an accident just the other night."

Korra scoffed at the word 'accident.' Yeah, some accident, all right.

Mr. Tenora heard her scoff, saying too-politely, "Of course, I heard you were there too, Avatar Korra. I assure you that you'll have nothing but the best wishes from me for your swift recovery, but as I was just trying to explain to Master Tenzin, here, I'm afraid I must insist on seeing Miss Sato immediately. Miss Sato and I run Future Industries together, and these matters simply cannot wait."

Tenzin and Korra both bristled, but the airbender finally managed to get a word in.

"And _I'm _afraid that I _must _insist that you wait, Mr. Tenora," Tenzin barked. "Asami Sato's injuries are quite extensive, and the absolute _last_ thing she needs right now is to have her rest interrupted."

Korra still hadn't said anything on this matter. One the one hand, if this Tenora guy managed to sidestep Tenzin and get inside the healing room to see Asami, then Korra wanted to see her as well. On the other side of that, though, she wanted her friend to get better as soon as possible, and waking her up might not be the best thing for Asami right now.

Korra made up her mind. "Mr. Tenora, Asami isn't even awake just yet. If you'd like, you could leave a message for her and we could let her know you came by—."

"This news needs to be delivered in person," Tenora interrupted. "Now please, step aside Master Tenzin. All I require is a moment of privacy with Miss Sato, then I will be on my way. That's all."

Tenzin was having a hard time controlling his temper. He obviously saw that there was no convincing Mr. Tenora, so he shuffled away from the healing room doors.

Tenora smiled coolly, radiating professionalism. "Thank you, Master Tenzin. I assure you that Miss Sato and I truly appreciate your kindness in letting her receive treatment here on Air Temple Island." And with that, he reached over to slide the healing room doors open and slipped inside, shutting the doors behind him.

Tenzin moved behind Korra to grip the handles of her wheelchair, rolling her back up the hall towards her room. He was fuming.

She rounded on Tenzin, turning her head to look at him. "Aren't you going to wait for him to leave? I want to see Asami, too!"

"Don't start with me Korra!" he replied. "That Tenora fellow showed up on an airship in the middle of my meditation, demanding to see Asami. I couldn't get through to him, those business-types are all the same."

They arrived at Korra's room, and Tenzin reached over to open the door before Korra stopped him. "I got this Tenzin. I'm feeling much better today, and I'd like to start doing things for myself, if I can."

Tenzin eased up at this, smiling warmly at the Avatar, though he was still frustrated at the businessman. "I'm very glad to hear that, Korra. Just don't try to overdo it."

"I won't," she lied.

Korra opened the door to her room and acted like she was going to roll herself in, waiting for Tenzin to walk back down the hall towards the kitchen. When she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, she turned her wheelchair back around, shut her door, and headed for the healing room. She was going to find out what Mr. Sahno Tenora was up to.

* * *

Asami awoke to the sound of people arguing outside the healing room. She heard only two voices out there, and she recognized both of them. It hurt her head when she tried to remember who each voice belonged to. She took several deep breaths, trying to clear her head and her vision. Maybe whatever was in this water was starting to wear off.

As the two voices kept arguing, she suddenly knew who they were. One voice sounded as if it was struggling to keep quiet in an effort to be polite. That was clearly Tenzin. The other voice was deeper and sounded more level-headed than the airbender. Asami tried to focus on the sounds that the other voice spoke with, the specific way it enunciated its words. It was familiar, though not in a good way. It was Sahno Tenora, she realized.

_Crap,_ Asami thought. _I don't want to see him. _

Sahno Tenora was the vice president of her company, Future Industries, and was hands-down the hardest person to converse with that Asami had ever known. He was stubborn, manipulative, and very cunning. All of which were good traits to have if you wanted to be a ruthless business tycoon, but not so much if you wanted very many friends. She wondered what he wanted.

"And _I'm _afraid that I _must _insist that you wait, Mr. Tenora," she heard Tenzin say. If Asami didn't feel so light-headed and dizzy, she might've smiled. At least Tenora got on other people's nerves, too. It wasn't just Asami.

Thinking about her light-headedness, she stirred about in the healing-pool, causing the waterbender healer to jump and look at her. He started biting his nails, looking back and forth between Asami and the door. _Maybe he doesn't want any visitors, _she thought. She tried sitting up, but her chest exploded in pain again, so she didn't try that anymore.

Asami suddenly remembered that this 'healer' had drugged her, and she opened her mouth to speak, thinking to alert Tenzin and Tenora. When she tried to talk, though, she found that her throat felt dry as a desert, and her lips were still heavy from the sedative.

She heard another voice at the door, a different one that hadn't spoken yet.

"Mr. Tenora, Asami isn't even awake just yet." It was Korra!

At the sound of her friend's voice, Asami shook her head to clear the fuzziness out of her vision. She bit back a whimper and rolled over onto her hands and knees, trying her best to keep her chest and neck steady. Ironically, the drug in this water was working to her benefit now, as it kept the pain to a dull roar, though it still took her breath away. Asami was in bad shape, but she had to get out of here.

She heard Korra finish her sentence. Apparently Tenzin and Korra were trying to dissuade Tenora from coming in to see Asami, but right now she would settle for anybody. She needed to tell someone about this healer's plan, and if Mr. Sahno Tenora had to be the one to save her, then so be it. The healer himself hadn't noticed that Asami was struggling to get out of the pool, as he was too busy listening to the conversation outside the room. Asami worried that the healer might try to hurt Tenora, so she decided to save her energy for a good yell. Yes, that sounded good: she would yell at Tenora as soon as he came in about how this healer had captured her, and hopefully Tenzin would come in, too.

Asami's hopes were immediately dashed, as the healer suddenly turned around just as she managed to crawl out of the healing-pool. He lifted up a stream of water and brought it down on top of her, flattening her to the floor and freezing her in place. The force of it knocked the air out of Asami's lungs.

The sliding doors opened, and in walked Mr. Sahno Tenora, closing the doors behind him. Without Tenzin or Korra.

_Better him than no one, _she thought.

She struggled to pull in a breath of air past the pain in her ribs, but the ice surrounding her limited how much she could breathe. "Sahno…help, this bender…drugged—" was all she was able to get out.

Tenora scowled, shooting the waterbender an insidious look. "What on earth do you think you're doing," he growled at the healer. "I told you to _sedate _her."

_What?!_

The healer went down on one knee, placing his hands together in a gesture of supplication. "I know, Mr. Tenora, b-but the drug didn't seem to…she may have a natural resistance…please—"

Tenora cut him off with a swift wave of his hand. But something was wrong. Tenora kept gesturing at the healer, who started to writhe in agony.

"You could have injured her further, you fool, and I need her alive," he said in a low, dark voice. "Your task was simple, and you failed. I do not tolerate failure."

Tenora raised his hand, and to Asami's horror, the healer lifted up off the ground. He swept his hand to the side and the healer went flying across the room, crashing into the far wall.

_No, _she thought. _This can't be happening. _

Tenora had arranged this whole thing. He had told that healer to drug Asami, and he was a _bloodbender_.

He turned to Asami now. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Miss Sato," he sighed softly. "But we both know that if you want to be successful, you sometimes have to cut your losses, right?"

She was still frozen to the floor. "What….why're you…doing this?"

Tenora gestured at her to melt the water. The pressure of the ice being gone from her chest caused her to take in a huge lungful of air, but it also strained her broken ribs. She yelped in pain, then continued to softly whimper as she lay on the floor, struggling to breathe steadily. She didn't know how much more abuse her body could take, but she was guessing _not very much_.

Sahno Tenora bloodbended Asami to force her up to a kneeling position. Her earlier pain paled in comparison to the pure agony that his bloodbending caused. Asami's vision temporarily glazed over from the indescribable torture being inflicted upon her. Every limb, every muscle, every fiber of her being screamed in protest to this new grotesque pain. Tenora moved his hands like a puppet-master's, dragging Asami across the floor to kneel in front of him.

"You have something that I require, Miss Sato," he continued. "And you're going to tell me where to find it. Now, where is—"

"Asami? What's—"

_No, Korra, run, _Asami wanted to yell, but every muscle in her body was being controlled by Tenora. _Get the hell out of here!_

Korra had just opened the sliding doors to the healing room, walking in on Tenora bloodbending Asami. Asami saw that she was alone, and wondered briefly how she had gotten here. For spirit's sake, where was Tenzin?

"You!" Korra yelled at Tenora. "You're…you're a….someone, help!" She turned around to scream out through the door. "Someone hel—"

Tenora cut her off with a slight motion of his hand, bloodbending her into silence.

"No!" Asami screamed, somehow fighting through Tenora's otherworldly grip.

Korra was lifted up out of her wheelchair, and floated through the air closer to Tenora. Asami saw her shaking in agony, and hot hatred-fueled tears began to stream down Asami's face. She knew Korra had a deep fear of bloodbending, having once had her own bending taken by Amon. Asami desperately looked around, looking for _anything _that might help, though she knew it was useless. He had them both, now.

Tenora growled under his breath. "I wish you wouldn't have done that, Avatar. I didn't come here for you, but it seems you've left me no choice."

He made a fist out of the hand that was bending Korra, and she immediately arched her back in pain. Her head lolled backward, and her mouth was open in a wordless scream.

_It's over,_ Asami thought, tears running endlessly through her eyes and down her face. _He's going to kill Korra. He's going to kill her._

As much as she hated herself for doing it, Asami closed her eyes. She couldn't help it. She didn't want to see her best friend die.

When Asami had been lying unconscious in the healing-pool, before she had woken up the first time, she had gone through the worst dream she'd ever had. She had been forced to witness her major heartbreaks all over again, but she had also triumphed over them. All her life, she had let the memory of those two horrible episodes haunt her love-life, but in her dream she had come to terms with them both. Giji Kirasito had rejected Asami for being different, and Rinsho Hikari had made her feel worthless. They were memories, and they were no longer going to ruin her life. But Asami had triumphed over those two negative memories with the power of one very positive one: Korra. Asami had grown to see Korra in a new light, as perhaps more than a friend, and the positive emotion powering that new light had vaporized the demons from her past. And now this bloodbender, her own _vice president, _was going to extinguish that light.

A nearby window to the left of Asami suddenly exploded in shards of glass and wood. Tenora's bending slackened on Asami somewhat, and she opened her eyes to see what had happened.

Tenzin was standing in the doorway, and he had just sent a boulder of air at Tenora. Tenzin began to whirl around in a circle, creating a vortex all around the room. Tenora's grip on Asami finally let go, and the rush of relief was overwhelming, as if all of her senses were coming back to her all at once.

Tenora also dropped Korra, and she landed in the healing-pool. He tried to gesture at Tenzin in an attempt to bloodbend him, but Tenzin closed the gap too quickly, rushing him with both palms thrust forward. A giant gust of wind blasted Tenora back through the air, launching him through a nearby window and out into the open courtyard.

Tenzin rushed to Korra, kneeling down to pick her up. She wasn't conscious. He looked up at Asami lying on the floor, and as he came over to get her up she passed out. Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora appeared, having heard the noise when they were in the courtyard training with the other airbenders.

"Jinora, stay here with Korra and Asami," Tenzin said quickly. "Ikki and Meelo, go get your mother, and hurry!"

Tenzin used a miniature vortex to launch himself up and out of the room, chasing after Sahno Tenora. But it was too late. Tenzin looked out at the bay and saw Tenora riding a wave of water back to Republic City.


	7. Chapter 6: Decisions

CHAPTER VI: DECISIONS

Kya looked down at the two girls lying in the healing-pool as she gently rubbed glowing streams of water across their bodies. But they weren't girls anymore, she realized. They were women, and the two women in her care were terribly injured. When a waterbender is healing someone, they can feel what the water feels, and Kya had to bite her tongue to stop gasping every few seconds. Both of the women's injuries were treatable, but even the most experienced healer would be hard-pressed to mend them quickly. Even then, some injuries just can't be fixed by waterbending. The healing that Kya was performing now could only kick-start their body's natural healing processes, but right now, that was better than nothing.

Tenzin, Pema, Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Bumi were gathered together behind Kya, eagerly awaiting a report from her but patiently keeping quiet. Tenzin's face was downcast, and his eyes bespoke the shame he felt. He had failed to protect the Avatar and Asami in his own home, blindly trusting a stranger to walk right in and _bloodbend _the two of them. He had long ago come to view Korra almost in the same light as one of his children, and his heart broke to see her lying unconscious like this.

Pema was holding onto Tenzin's arm, her usual worried-mother expression deepening into sorrow. With her other arm, she was enfolding Ikki and Meelo in a warm, reassuring embrace. Jinora and Bumi were looking down at Korra and Asami lying in the pool of healing-water, echoing the others' expressions of pain and worry.

Kya, like most everyone else on Air Temple Island, had heard the crashing and shattering of glass after Tenzin had discovered Tenora bloodbending Asami and Korra. She had rushed to the scene as quickly as she could, but by the time she had arrived it was over. Tenora was gone, and Asami and Korra had been lying lifeless on the floor. She immediately began to bend water up out of the healing-pool to treat them with, but she noticed something odd about this water. An experienced waterbender can also detect any impurities in the water they bend, whether that be something like dirt or sediment, or something more sinister. She didn't know what it was, but she knew that she wasn't going to use _this _water to heal them with. Knowing that time was short, Kya lifted all of the water in the healing-pool and bended it out of the broken window, splashing it on the ground outside. She had then jumped out of the same window and took off for the shore, bringing back more non-drugged water with her from the ocean. Salt-water isn't ideal to heal with, but it would work for now, and it was all they had.

That had been two hours ago, and Asami and Korra were still unconscious. After they had gotten the scene under control and both girls in the new healing-pool, Tenzin had phoned Lin Beifong to rally the police in search of Sahno Tenora. He notified her that Tenora was a highly dangerous bloodbender, and to use extreme caution if they found him. Lin agreed to begin the search, and promised to radio the island's tower if she found anything.

They were now approaching three hours after Tenora's attack, and Ikki and Meelo were rubbing their eyes. It was dark now, almost 11 o' clock at night, so Pema looked at Tenzin and gently squeezed his arm. He nodded, and she took the two younger children out of the room to go to bed. Meelo started to protest, saying that if _he _had been with Korra none of this would've happened and he wanted to stay by her side just in case that nasty bloodbender might come back, but Pema shushed him and led the way out of the healing room.

Tenzin spoke up softly. "What do you think, Kya?"

Her eyes were closed as she honed in on the source of their injuries. "It's bad, Tenzin. That Tenora really did a number on them. I've only just now gotten Korra's muscles to relax," Kya said. She had never healed someone after a bloodbending attack before. It astonished her how devastating that form of bending was on a person's musculature. Being a waterbender, it sickened her how bloodbending was merely a perversion of the art she herself used.

Now Bumi chimed in. "Could we get Mom to come heal them?" He looked to Tenzin for support.

Katara was perhaps the world's greatest healer. She could mend broken bones in a fraction of the time that it took them to heal naturally (though even then it might take a few weeks), and things like scars or cuts, no matter how deep, she could heal almost instantly. But Kya sensed that even her powerful waterbending mother would have her work cut out for her with these two.

"Probably not," Tenzin replied. "You know as well as I do that she's vowed to never leave the South Pole. Besides, it would take almost a week for her to get here by boat."

"Then let's go to her! We can take these two to Mom, by air-bison if we have to," Bumi said.

"No, they're not in any shape to be riding air-bison," Kya retorted. She knew her brother had meant well, but these two seriously injured people, especially Asami with her broken ribs, did _not _belong on an air-bison.

But he had a point. Katara might be resolute in her decision, but they could perhaps transport Korra and Asami to the South Pole by boat. Like Tenzin had said, though, it would take them a week to get to the Southern Water Tribe from Republic City. Air-bison, of course, _could _make the trip faster, but there was no way Kya was letting these two ride one, and an air-ship would take even longer, having to stop and refuel.

They didn't argue any more about it, instead letting Kya work in silence. The key to healing with waterbending was to create a small tide of water to flow over the patient's body back and forth, and the closer you could match their heartbeat with this tide, the more effective the healing would be. Kya couldn't quite see into Asami's body, but she could sense through the water how damaged her torso was. They definitely needed Katara's expertise.

Another half-hour went by, and Jinora and Bumi walked off to bed. Neither Korra nor Asami had awoken yet, but Kya could feel a slight awareness in the two of them, so they weren't in a coma or anything too serious. They just needed time.

Tenzin approached Kya a few minutes later. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Do you think we should leave them in the water for tonight?" he asked his sister. Normally, Tenzin's word was law on Air Temple Island, even though that didn't really apply to his own siblings. But this was waterbending work, and for that he deferred to his experienced sister.

Kya considered it for a moment. The two young ladies definitely needed as much healing as they could absorb, but leaving them in water while they're unconscious didn't exactly seem wise.

"No," she said, sighing from her last three hours of effort. She had hoped to at least coax them back awake, but they had taken a beating, inside and out. "Let's dry them off and leave them on cots in here. I'll continue this in the morning, after we get some fresh water in the healing-pool."

Tenzin brought out some clean towels, and the two siblings carefully removed Korra and Asami from the pool, one at a time. There were cots in the nearby infirmary, and they set two of them up in a corner of the healing room.

After they had gotten the two injured women dry, they gently placed one on each cot.

When that was done, Kya put her arm around her brother. "Tenzin, this wasn't your fault. There's no way you could have known this would happen."

The airbending master sighed heavily. "I know, Kya." He didn't feel like saying much more, and his sister let it go at that.

* * *

When Korra awoke that same night, it was dark. She panicked for an instant, thinking she might have gone blind from Tenora's bloodbending, or worse, that she was dead. But her vision soon adjusted to the darkness, and she knew where she was. She couldn't move due to the stinging and restrictive pain in every muscle, but right across from her lay Asami on another cot. Korra remembered what had happened: walking in on Tenora bloodbending Asami, her yelling for help, then Tenora grabbing Korra with his bending. She didn't know what had happened after that.

She watched Asami sleep in silence. _Even now,_ she thought, _Asami is still beautiful_. Silent tears began streaming softly down Korra's face. These weren't the same tears from earlier, the ones fueled by hatred or confusion. These tears weren't even accompanied by sniffling or heavy breathing. These tears came from Korra's guilt, and they silently spilled from her eyes.

She felt guilty that Asami had gotten so badly injured for protecting her. In that moment, seeing how hurt Asami was, Korra didn't feel worthy of Asami's loyalty. She knew that she herself would've risked life and limb for her friend, but somehow Korra couldn't bring herself to understand the true loyalty that Asami had always displayed. Korra couldn't exactly say why, but she felt responsible for what had happened to Asami over the past couple of days. Again, it had to do with her disability. Had Korra not been wheelchair-bound, she would've destroyed those men outside the restaurant, as well as Sahno Tenora.

Korra felt an overwhelming desire to comfort Asami, to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. But sleep demanded that she come back, and she gave in to its wishes.

* * *

The next morning, the whole gang was gathered around the dining room table for breakfast, excluding, of course, Korra and Asami. They were still in the healing room asleep, though Kya had already checked on them.

They were discussing the pros and cons of taking the two injured girls to the South Pole to be treated by Katara. Bumi was adamantly for the idea, while Tenzin still held hope that the remaining healers in Republic City might be enough, along with Kya. Transporting them that far, Tenzin mentioned, might also take a toll on their health. Kya and Pema were undecided.

Of course, the healers were being questioned by the police right now, since their leader had been working for Tenora the whole time, though it seemed that he had been the only one. The other healers had known about the drug in the water, but they had been told, by their leader, that it was only a sedative. The RCPD had already discovered a sample of it, having worked through the night to track down Tenora, but no such luck. The sedative, however, might prove to be an important find, Lin had said. If nothing else, they could learn where it was made, and go from there.

Bumi slapped his hand on the table. "Who else but Mom can we trust? I mean _really _trust?" he said, speaking loudly to be heard over the discussion. Meelo slapped his hand on the table too, imitating his uncle. "Yeah," the little airbender said, "who?"

Ignoring Meelo, Tenzin replied, "I'm just concerned that the trip will be too long."

Bumi folded his arms (as did Meelo). "This is ridiculous, Tenzin. C'mon Kya, you're a healer, back me up here," he said to his sister. "Those girls need to be seen by Mom!"

Kya was torn between the two sides, and she suddenly could sympathize with Tenzin. Her brother was in charge of a whole _nation _of new benders and was no doubt used to being charge, but all of a sudden both he and Bumi were now looking to her for guidance. It pleased her to know that her siblings thought so highly of her waterbending, but it didn't help the fact that most of the decision was being put on her. She had made up her mind. She hoped it would be enough. Kya cleared her throat to begin, with Tenzin and Bumi hanging on her every word.

"I think we should keep the girls here until they're well enough for such a long journey," she said. "I'll help the other City healers, if or when they're cleared by the police. If they aren't, I'll heal them as best I can by myself." Tenzin softly sighed, nodding his head in agreement.

"However," she continued, "I do think that, once they're able, we should immediately take them to Mom. Korra has seen little progress over the past few months, and Asami's ribs have taken extensive damage, so Mom's experience here is vital." This part of her answer satisfied Bumi, who relaxed back into his chair.

"Well," Tenzin said, "I guess that settles it then." He pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'm leaving to meet with Lin in the City to see if her police have found anything else. I'll see you all later this evening." He leaned over to hug Pema, then continued, saying, "Bumi and Jinora, I need you two to stay here and train with the others while I'm gone. Kya, please call the police station if they wake up."

And with that, Tenzin left, and everyone else got up to go about their daily tasks.

* * *

Later on that same morning, Kya had returned to the healing room after breakfast, along with Bumi, and they had placed Korra and Asami in the healing-pool, sitting them up in the water side by side. Kya thanked Bumi for helping, and he gave his sister a one-armed hug before leaving to go train with the other airbenders. Kya was now bending the healing-water back and forth across their bodies, creating another small tide in the pool.

She had been at this for nearly thirty minutes before she paused for a break. Kya sat down on a bench to drink some water and take a breather. Most people didn't realize it, but healing was hard work. It took just as much mental effort as it did physical. If you wanted to maximize the amount of healing a person received, you had to concentrate on the flow of water around them. Most healers (herself included) strove to match the patient's heartbeat with the back-and-forth motion of the tide they created, which gave the person's natural healing systems a significant boost. Katara, on the other hand, was somehow able to make the patient's heartbeat match _the tide_, and the effects this had were dramatic. Kya had seen her mother mend a fisherman's broken wrist back to working condition in less than an hour, and even though that wrist still needed to be braced for a few days after that, it was still the fastest healing she'd ever seen. Kya desperately wished she could match her mother's abilities, but after years and years of studying under her, Kya had all but given up. Katara was just special, and there was no one else quite like her.

Her mother's abilities were a closely guarded secret among the Southern Water Tribe. Katara had enjoyed plenty of fame for her skills in her youth, but now that she was much older she had decided to settle down and live out her days among her people. That's why Kya, Tenzin, and Bumi didn't consider bringing Katara here to Air Temple Island to treat Korra and Asami. Above all, they wanted to respect their mother's wish. Besides, if Katara showed up here in the City to treat two people, it wouldn't take long for the word to spread, and sooner or later others would start seeking her out to heal them. Katara wanted peace, and her children had vowed to honor that.

Kya stood back, having rested for a few minutes, and she walked over to stand next the healing pool. She placed her feet shoulder-width apart in a balanced stance and began to bend the water.

She briefly looked down at the two young women's faces. _Poor things,_ she thought. _I hate to see them like this_. Korra was the toughest and most headstrong person Kya had ever met, and that was saying something considering that she had grew up around Bumi. She also knew that Korra cared deeply for her friend, Asami. That was another thing she respected Korra for: her loyalty. Double-cross Korra, and you were asking for trouble. Befriend her, though, and she'd defend you with her dying breath. Kya had also noticed that despite her headstrong and can-do attitude, Korra sometimes sold herself short. In some situations, Korra lacked a certain self-assurance. Kya couldn't blame her, though. Growing up as the Avatar must have instilled a sense of duty in the girl at a very young age, and she was always afraid of disappointing anyone.

As Kya was pushing her artificial tide of healing-water back and forth across the young women, she sensed one of them begin to stir subconsciously. It was somewhat like a lightbulb trying to power on, but flickering due to a lack of power. Kya opened her eyes to see if one of them stirred, having had her eyes closed to concentrate. Neither girl moved, but she could still feel the slight stirring in the water. She began to work faster, still careful to keep as close as she could to their heartbeats, and she supplied her bending-tide with a little more energy, hoping to coax one of the girls awake.

Sure enough, Asami's eyes opened slowly. Her pupils were dilated, and she blinked several times very fast. Kya slowed the tide back down somewhat, sighing with relief.

_Thank the spirits,_ she thought.

Asami tried to lift one of her arms, wincing and groaning from the pain.

"Uuuugghhh…," she moaned. "Where…?"

Kya softly shushed her, wanting her to keep still. "Asami, honey, it's alright. You're here at Air Temple Island. You're safe now," she said to the injured heiress.

Asami blinked a few more times, her vision coming back to her now. "Tenora, he's a…..Korra. Where's…." she trailed off, as she looked to her right and saw who she was looking for.

Korra was lying next to Asami in the healing pool, propped up into a half-sitting position like she was. They were both submerged up to their necks in the healing-water, which was thankfully drug-free, Asami noticed. Korra's eye sockets looked sullen, like she'd been awake for days, and her head had slightly tilted to one side in her sleep. Asami wanted to cry as she looked upon her friend, but quite frankly her body felt too good to even produce tears. This was what healing-water was supposed to feel like. She still felt pain, especially in her chest, but the sense of euphoria was too strong to worry about anything else.

Asami tried to speak evenly, but she was having a hard time breathing to get the words out. "Will….she be…fine?" she asked Kya.

"Yes, I promise," Kya replied. "Just try to relax, Asami. Korra's going to be OK, just like you. We're going to get through this, you have my word."

Asami settled her head back against the side of the pool, turning it to look at Korra. "Thank you," she said to Kya. "I want….her to….know. Korra….," was all she could get out before struggling to breathe again. Every breath hurt her chest, and it made her lightheaded to speak too much. She resolved to wait for her friend to wake up, too.

* * *

After breakfast, Ikki and Meelo had went with Jinora to train with the other airbenders. After their Uncle Bumi had rejoined them, they went through the various daily routines and obstacles. Meelo's favorite one to send new airbenders through was something he called "The Rookie Grinder," named after the immense amusement he got from watching them fail. Tenzin's three children had all been raised on airbending, having been born with the innate ability, so they all had assumed various leadership roles when it came to teaching the new Air Nation. Jinora, being the oldest of them, was "in charge" though, at least according to their dad. Meelo, however, had always seen himself as somewhat of a lone-wolf and a loose-cannon, and as such he rarely bowed to any authority. Least of all to his _sister,_ fancy airbending-master-tattoos or not.

His own tattoos would come eventually, he reasoned. Then he'd show them. He'd show them all how _he_ was the true master on this island. Except for his dad, of course. His dad knew everything. Meelo hadn't quite figured out how Jinora had tricked their dad into letting _her _get tattoos, but it didn't matter. Not when he had trainees to send through the Rookie Grinder.

After a few hours of meditation and stance-training, they broke for lunch. Which was Meelo's favorite time of the day, because after lunch the physical training began. Which could mean only one thing.

"Step right up, maggots!" he taunted them. "I had better see some improvement outta you weaklings today. This is the _easiest _thing on the whole island. If you can't master this, you might as well hand in your airbending."

The new airbenders never really gave much attention to what Meelo said, ever. But he didn't know that.

The Rookie Grinder consisted of three rotating platforms, with walls of increasing-height between them. The task was to mount the first platform while another airbender (in this case, Meelo) spun it around with wind. Then, you had to use your own airbending to launch yourself up onto the wall, which was very thin at the top, and then proceed to the next spinning platform, and so on until you dismounted the last wall after the last spinning platform. Also, you weren't allowed to use your hands to grab onto anything: the point was to be light on your feet. The walls increased in height each time, with the first wall being only five feet taller than the first platform, but the last wall was twenty-five feet tall. This obstacle was designed to promote keeping one's balance even in stressful situations, which is very important to airbending, but also very difficult. And Meelo never missed an opportunity to demonstrate the proper way to do it.

He did so just now, having Ikki spin the platforms for him, and he gracefully completed the whole obstacle in less than twenty seconds.

"See?" he said, pointing at the Rookie Grinder behind him. "Easy as pie. All you have to do is copy me exactly, and we'll have you beef-cakes in fighting shape in no time!"

Still ignoring whatever came out of his mouth, the other airbender novices began to attempt the obstacle, some of them groaning from their past failures.

There was nothing in the whole wide world that amused Meelo more than watching his recruits fall, stumble, and stutter through the Rookie Grinder.

Ikki floated down next to Meelo. "Stop pestering them, Meelo. It's not nice," she said. "Besides, I remember how much trouble _you _used to have on this one."

"As _if!_" he retorted. The mere suggestion that he'd ever had any trouble completing the Rookie Grinder was absurd! "Did you not just see me do it? Are you _blind_, woman?!"

Ikki made a face at him and blasted him off his feet with a gust of air, taking to the skies in her flight-suit. Meelo chased her, flying up to meet her among the clouds. His recruits' training would have to wait. Besides, there was no way they would ever master the Rookie Grinder, he thought. Plenty of time to laugh at them later.

The siblings playfully threw pockets of wind at each other as they soared through the sky, eventually tiring out and gliding side by side as they headed back for the courtyard.

"What's that?" Ikki said, pointing at a small black shape in the bay. They were flying high above Air Temple Island, and something had suddenly emerged from underneath the surface of the water, right up against the island's shore. Smaller black things got out of the original black shape, and Ikki and Meelo glided quietly in for a closer look. It was a submarine! Meelo had heard Uncle Bumi talk about these before.

As they got closer, they saw several people had gotten out of the submarine, all dressed in black. The sun was just starting to set, and these black-clad people were sticking to the shadows as they made their way towards the west side of the island: to the healing room.

* * *

Asami had been trying her best to stay awake, hoping that Korra would regain consciousness soon. She wanted to be the first one to reassure her friend, the Avatar, that they were both safe. The soothing euphoria of the healing-water, though, had been making it hard to stay up.

_Poor Korra,_ she thought, as she examined her sleeping friend. _She doesn't deserve all this._

Korra was hands-down the most inspiring person Asami knew. Even though they had gotten off on the wrong foot, due to the awkward love-triangle they had been in with Mako, she and Korra had grown close throughout their adventures together. Asami had always been slightly intimidated by Korra, though. Not in a fearful way, but in a way that sometimes left Asami wondering if she was _good _enough to be Korra's friend, but this minor intimidation pushed Asami to better herself at all times. Maybe 'intimidated' wasn't quite right, but she didn't know how else to explain it. She just knew that when she was around Korra, she strived to be the best that she could be.

Korra's natural grace and beauty had been obvious to Asami from the moment they had met. Korra had a down-to-earth vibe that Asami knew was highly attractive, not just to her, but to other people as well. Throughout their friendship, Asami had always secretly wondered what Korra would think of her bisexual orientation. She'd never brought it up before. Being from the Southern Water Tribe, a fairly secluded place compared to Republic City, Korra might not have been as exposed to openly homosexual relationships. Asami just simply didn't know, and the last thing she wanted to do was put off her best friend, like she had done to Giji—but no, Korra wouldn't treat Asami like Giji had. No, Asami was resolute: the memory of Giji Kirasito was absolutely _not _going to dictate her life anymore.

Kya interrupted her thoughts, as she was still bending the healing-water over both of them. "If she wakes up, I'll let you know, Asami. Try to get some slee—."

_CRASH-BANG._

A black, rock-shaped object smashed through a window and came to a rest right under Kya's feet. As soon as it landed it exploded in a cloud of thick red smoke, filling the entire room. Kya screamed, and the smell of sulphur and black-powder crept into Asami's nostrils. She couldn't turn her head to see what was happening because her neck hurt too much, and she couldn't see through the veil of smoke. Panicking, she grit her teeth and scooted herself over closer to Korra, fighting through the pain to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

_Why the hell is all of this happening to us, _she thought, enraged at the world for allowing this.

Kya had recovered and was lifting up a stream of water, freezing it into a sharp lance of ice. But the assailants were already behind her. They moved as silently as clouds, and one of them gave her several well-placed jabs at certain pressure points, and the giant icicle she was bending had melted back into water and dropped to the ground in a splash.

Chi Blockers.

As if this wasn't enough, suddenly all the smoke in the room was sucked out through the broken windows. During Tenora's attack, Tenzin had blasted several large holes through the healing room's far wall, the one that had windows looking out over the courtyard. Since this was the only healing-pool on the island, they still needed it to treat Korra and Asami, and had placed several large tarps over the gaps until repairs could be made. Now, though, the tarps and every bit of smoke were sucked up and out of the healing room, bringing all the Chi Blockers into view.

There were six of them, all dressed in black and hooded, with what looked like gas masks on their faces. There was one right in front of Asami and Korra. When he came into view in front of her she yelped with surprise, which hurt her ribs tremendously.

Korra suddenly awoke in Asami's arms, looking around wildly. At first she didn't know if she was dreaming or not, but the sensation of Asami's arm around her brought her back to reality. She wanted to scream, but her throat was still dry from her long sleep, so she leaned into Asami's embrace for protection.

All of the Chi Blockers were momentarily stunned from the loss of their cover, and before any of them had moved several large shapes descended and plucked three of them right out of the room. This brought the remaining three to their senses, and they gathered around Asami and Korra, having already dispatched Kya. She was alive, but she was lying on the floor stunned, her bending being temporarily blocked. One Chi Blocker shoved a bag over Asami's head and was trying to lift her out of the pool.

"No!" Korra yelled, finally finding her voice. Her adrenaline kicked in, and she reached around Asami to hold her around the waist with both arms, preventing the Blocker from taking her. He tried to kick at Korra, but he never managed it. He was blasted off his feet, landing on the far side of the healing-pool face-down in the water.

The last two remaining Chi Blockers apparently had decided to make a run for it, but they hadn't taken two steps before Korra heard their muffled grunts as they too were blasted from above. Korra began to breathe heavily, the commotion around her becoming too much. _This is one helluva way to wake up,_ she was a familiar whistling sound, and she felt several sets of feet alight on the floor. The bag was gently pulled off of Asami's head from behind, and Korra and Asami both couldn't believe who had saved them.

It was Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, the last of which had his foot on one downed Chi Blocker's throat, keeping him pinned with gusts of air. Ikki helped Kya to her feet, as Jinora wrangled up the other two Chi Blockers with small tornados, trapping them inside. Kya's bending had returned, and she lifted up some water and froze all three Blockers to the floor, encasing them up to their necks in ice.

Kya sighed with relief, with a large amount of surprise mixed in. "Nice job, kids. But I saw six, where'd the others go?"

Meelo was busy slapping one of the frozen Chi Blockers, trying to get answers out of him. He bounded toward the broken windows, pointing outside.

"Behold!" he exclaimed.

The three airbender kids had swooped down and grabbed three Blockers after they had cleared the smoke, and they had thrown them outside into the courtyard. Down below, the airbender trainees had formed a circle around them, keeping them inside a giant whirlwind.

Korra was still holding tight to Asami, who was moaning softly in pain. Korra tried to let go of her, remembering her broken ribs, but Asami redoubled her own grasp, so she continued the embrace.

"Don't…let go," Asami struggled to say. Her breathing was short and ragged, and her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Asami," Korra said in her ear, still holding onto her injured friend, "your ribs, I don't want to hurt—"

"Please…..don't let….go," she interrupted. Asami was hyperventilating, but she also wouldn't let go of Korra.

Korra was glad that Asami couldn't see her face. As strange as the circumstances were (she had woken up to a _Chi Blocker attack_, of all things), she was blushing at being in such intimate contact with her. Asami's skin felt warm and soft, and Korra was embarrassed at the goose-bumps she could feel rising on her own back. Asami's breathing had calmed down considerably after a few moments, though it still came in short gasps, and Korra was lightly stroking her back with her fingertips. The airbender kids and Kya gave them some momentary privacy by interrogating the frozen Blockers, though Korra didn't hear a word of it.

The only sound that penetrated her thoughts was Asami's calmed breathing.


	8. Chapter 7: Revelations

CHAPTER VII: REVELATIONS

Earlier that same day, Tenzin was sitting across from Lin Beifong in her office. They were pouring over a few files, photographs, and dossiers on Lin's desk, and right now this was all the police force had on Tenora. It was frustratingly very little.

"I know we're just getting started with this case," Lin said, "but this Tenora fellow is pretty clean-cut. Everything he does is traceable and legal."

Tenzin had been looking at a file about Future Industries, and was stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I agree, but there's got to be something we're not seeing. I'm telling you Lin, he's a dangerous individual. He's crafty and manipulative. If he has been planning this for some time, there should be a trace _somewhere_."

Tenzin wasn't in the habit of catching fugitives, but this had become personal. Tenora had attacked on Air Temple Island, and the airbender was going to help find him in any way he could.

After Tenora had fled from the island last night, Tenzin had radioed in to the police headquarters to initiate the search. Lin had dispatched three teams of her elite metalbenders to start scouring the city, but in a high-profile case like this, some good old-fashioned detective work needed to be done. The waterbender healers that had been treating Korra and Asami had already been brought in and questioned by the time Tenzin had arrived this morning, though it seemed like they were mostly innocent. They had just been doing their job, and their leader (the healer in Tenora's employ) had told them that the drug in the water was only a minor sedative. They had, however, provided a rather interesting piece of information.

The drug that their leader had spiked the healing-water with had been used on Korra as well. This was extremely significant news, as it not only proved that Tenora had been planning this for quite some time, but this drug may have been inhibiting Korra's rate of recuperation. Tenzin hypothesized that Tenora had wanted Korra to remain weak so that he could assault Asami Sato, though to what end they still didn't know. Tenora apparently hadn't counted on Asami temporarily leaving her position at Future Industries so that she could be with Korra, which also raised more questions. If Sahno Tenora wanted to take over the Sato business, why did he personally attack Asami? He had made no effort to disguise himself when he had appeared on Air Temple Island, and from the context of his actions it appeared as if he wanted Asami alive.

The healers themselves didn't know what the drug was made from, or even what it was called. At the time, they had had no reason to doubt their leader, and he had kept all vials of the drug at his own residence, they said. After hearing this, Lin had sent a few detectives to scour the City directory and find where the lead healer had lived. Tenora had killed the leader during his attack, but an hour later the detectives had presented Lin with a small bottle filled with this mystery drug, having found a cabinet full of them at the deceased healer's home. They had a small team of police still searching the rest of the house, as well as bagging up the rest of the drug.

The healer's interrogation had been three hours ago, before the sun had even come up.

Now, Lin and Tenzin had finished looking over the files, as there weren't very many and they had each gone over them two times, not finding any of it significant.

They were discussing perhaps beefing-up the security on Air Temple Island when there came a knock on Lin's door. A detective poked his head in the office, saying, "Chief, you're gonna wanna see this." His face looked grim, and he held up a file in his hand.

Lin shot Tenzin an inquisitive look as she stood up, but she said, "Come on in, let's see what you've got."

The detective came in the office and shut the door behind him, walking over to stand next to Lin's desk. "Me 'n the boys went to check out Future Industries' factory, like you said. We scoured the place pretty good, didn't find nothin'. But Officer Gensho said somethin' didn't feel right, and we followed him back in to a refrigeration chamber, and….well, look." He slapped the file down onto the table, a sour look still on his face.

Lin opened the file. It contained only several photographs, but they were appalling.

Each photo showed, in full view, the corpses of seven dead men. But they weren't especially gruesome corpses, she noticed. Lin noted right away the lack of blood on each corpse. In fact, there wasn't any at all that she could see, just seven lifeless bodies. There were several photos for each deceased man, as the police photographer had taken pictures from varying angles. Each man's skin was pale and their eyes were clouded, but apart from that there wasn't anything particularly horrifying about them, aside from the fact that they were dead.

"You say these were _inside _the factory?" she asked the detective.

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am. They were hidden behind a false wall in one of the walk-in refrigeration chambers. Officer Gensho found 'em with his metalbending, and he peeled away the wall, and there they were."

Lin rubbed her chin in thought. This changed things quite a bit.

She laid the file back down onto the desk. "Did you find Tenora's office at the factory?"

The detective blushed. "Yes, Chief, but the door was…locked. As was Miss Sato's office." Thinking to cover this mistake, he continued. "But that was before we found the corpses, and as soon as the photos were done I rushed 'em here to you."

Lin didn't miss a beat. "Good work, Detective. Radio in to Metal Team Two and tell them I said to guard the factory until further notice. As of right now, no one is allowed on Future Industries property unless you recognize them by name _and _face. I'm giving you and your men permission to search both Tenora's and Sato's offices. Break the doors down, if you have to."

The detective saluted sharply before leaving. "Yes, Chief!" he said, shutting the door behind him.

Tenzin had been looking over the photographs while Lin was giving orders. The deceased men were all wearing the same uniform, though it wasn't one he recognized. It consisted of black clothing with bright scarlet armor-pads on the shoulders, chest, forearms, and shins. He flipped through the photos before spotting one that pictured one of the men's chest-armor. The man had a bright gold-plated badge that read "Commander Ganiro: Chief of Security, FlameCo Inc."

Lin glanced down to look at the photo with Tenzin. The airbender spoke up. "FlameCo?" he said, very confused.

FlameCo, Inc. was the Fire Nation's largest supplier of raw materials. They exported thousands of supplies all over the world, and practically every major company had to do business with them in one form or another. FlameCo supplied businesses with things ranging from volcanic rock and metal ores, to diamonds and other valuable gems. They even had a non-profit branch in the Earth Kingdom that harvested millions of crops every year for charity.

Tenzin knew all of these things about FlameCo. What he didn't know was why seven of their security officers were dead inside Future Industries' main factory.

"I knew Commander Ganiro," Lin said. "He was a skilled firebender, as I'm sure all these men were. Taking them out like this wouldn't have been easy, to say the least." She absent-mindedly looked over a few more photos, again noticing the lack of blood. "But to do it so _clean _like this, it's…."

"Horrific," Tenzin finished for her. "It's more frightening to wonder what could kill so easily like this, though I think we both know what that is." Tenora was behind these deaths. Of that, Tenzin was sure.

Bloodbending is an extremely effective method of killing, as it didn't leave any marks and usually kept the blood of the victim pooled inside the body. Tenzin hadn't seen any cuts, puncture wounds, or any other sign of physical violence on these poor men. But even if they had been sure that Tenora himself had killed these FlameCo employees, it didn't bring them any closer to discovering _why_.

* * *

It was now getting to be very late at night on that same day, after the Chi Blockers had attacked the healing room on Air Temple Island. Tenzin had come back to the island as quickly as he could after hearing what had happened. He, along with everyone else, was thankful that no one had gotten hurt in this most recent assault on the island. His exasperation at these recent attacks was echoed on everyone else's face.

Tenzin had come back with Lin Beifong and two of her most elite metalbenders, whom she had assigned to help guard the island. She had promised to send more, if and when they had some to spare. They all were now standing around the wrecked healing room: Tenzin, Pema, Lin, Bumi, Kya, and the two metalbenders. The airbender kids, along with the other trainees, had all gone to bed in the living quarters. Lin was bringing the others up to speed on all they had discovered since Tenora's first attack, including the debilitating drug that had been halting Korra's recovery and the murdered FlameCo security guards. The airbenders and Kya had brought all the captured Chi Blockers into the room, and Kya had frozen them all to the floor while they questioned them. In no time at all one of the Blockers had confessed: Sahno Tenora had hired them to kidnap Asami Sato.

Korra and Asami, meanwhile, had been helped into a larger room in the living quarters after the attack. The others told them to get some rest (which both Korra and Asami thought was pointless), and had set up two beds in this bigger room for them. It was much more spacious than Korra's room, though it was perhaps the only one in the entire building without windows. Despite the recent threats and the wisdom in putting them in a windowless room, Korra still craved the fresh air.

They were both sitting on the edge of their beds facing each other, and had been discussing these recent unprovoked attacks. Asami's breathing was still coming in short, ragged gasps, and she had to frequently stop speaking for several moments to catch her breath. It was painful for Korra to watch Asami whimper slightly and clutch her chest when her ribs began to hurt.

Asami's arms also had a very limited range of motion due to the injuries her ribcage had sustained. Korra had had to help dress her in some pajamas, as they both had been in the healing-pool, and therefore had only been clad in their underwear when the Chi Blockers attacked. Korra had been supernaturally aware of the location of her hands and fingers throughout the dressing process, juggling the insane desire to let her hands explore. She had also tried her very hardest to neither stare nor blush as she'd helped Asami into the clothes, because Asami could see her in the mirror. So Korra had just held her breath and finished the task as quickly as she could. She could even dress herself now, especially after spending a lot of time in Kya's care. _One day of Kya's healing did more good than months of those other healers', _she had thought sarcastically, still suspicious of that fact. Even Korra's legs were feeling better, though she had needed her wheelchair to get into the room.

They had been sitting in awkward silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing what to say now. Neither of them had any clue about why these attacks were happening, so they didn't talk about that. Korra's mind kept harassing her, sending random flashes of Asami's undressed body across her vision. _Dammit,_ she thought angrily as she argued with her own brain. _Stop it._

Asami was sitting across from her on the other bed, holding a cautionary hand to her ribs. "Korra," she said suddenly, immediately halting Korra's internal argument. "I'm…so sorry about….all this." She waved her other hand all around her, as if she was apologizing for the entire world.

"Don't be," Korra said quickly. "None of this was your fault."

"I know," she said, "but…it's just, all of it….Zaheer…those thugs. I never even knew Tenora…was a bender, let alone…_bloodbender_." She started to gasp for breath again, taking in smaller, faster puffs of air instead of breathing normally. She _couldn't _breathe normally, not without gasping from the pain that her expanding lungs caused on her ribs. Which of course only started the process over again.

Asami had to pause to control herself. Korra absolutely hated seeing any of her friends in pain, but this was different for two reasons. Normally (and before she had been crippled by Zaheer's poison), if Korra saw any of her friends in pain, she would look around for whoever was causing it and blow them away with her bending. So there was that: Korra couldn't resolve Asami's pain because she couldn't fix it by firebending someone. But this was also different because the pain Asami felt now didn't cause a violent reaction in Korra. She wanted to comfort her, although this 'comfort' had two sides. Another random vision of an undressed Asami flashed across Korra's mind, and she almost shook her head to make it go away.

When Asami didn't speak for several more moments, Korra moved. The distance between the beds was very short, so Korra pushed off from hers and stiffened both of her legs, bracing for the pain. Since she was only up for about five seconds, the customary stinging numbness never surfaced in her leg muscles, and she made it to Asami's bed with no trouble. She did, however, push off from her bed with too much force, and she plopped down next to Asami unable to halt her momentum, causing Korra to land on her back on the bed.

Asami had just regained her breath in time to laugh at Korra's ungainly movement, and she laughed softly until her chest hurt again. Korra realized just how dumb she had probably looked, so she laughed along with her, still lying on her back. When Asami's breath had run out again from laughter, she laid down next to Korra, sighing with relief. Korra turned her head to look at Asami, who had closed her eyes for a moment, still smiling despite being out of breath. Their faces were very close to each other. So close that Korra could feel Asami's hair lightly tickling her forehead.

_Oh crap, _she thought, feeling the bottom of her stomach drop out from underneath her.

She continued to gaze upon Asami's flawless face. Asami still had her eyes closed, and Korra secretly hoped that she would fall asleep. It would give her more time to look. She let her eyes follow the contours of her friend's features, leaving no single aspect of Asami's face unexamined. Korra's eyes began to torment her next, joining forces with her brain. They wanted to look only at Asami's lips, which seemed impossibly perfect in softness, volume, and color.

As Korra continued her thorough inspection, Asami turned her head towards her and opened her eyes. For perhaps the single longest moment in Korra's entire life, they just laid there and looked into each other's eyes. Asami's perfect emeralds stared back at her, and she smiled warmly at Korra. Korra felt her own face practically ignite from the deep blushing that she could feel spreading over her cheeks. She couldn't hold this gaze for much longer.

_Crap-crap-crap-what am I going to do-crap-crap-crap-crap-oh-crap!_

Korra heard her own heartbeat threatening to detonate in her ears as the moment dragged on, and her brain sent her one last brief vision. Her examination of Asami's lips had combined with her earlier visions to treat her to a sudden suggestion: her brain wanted to know, 'what if?' What if Korra kissed Asami, right here and now? What if she didn't? What if she _did_, but she completely screwed it up and ruined this glorious moment? Or lastly, what if she _didn't_, but Asami had been expecting her to? Korra could feel Asami's breath on her lips.

Asami was still looking at her, and Korra couldn't tell how much time had passed since they had begun this infinitely-pleasant staring contest. It could have been forever. Korra wouldn't have been surprised if she looked up to find that the world had collapsed around the two of them.

Korra reached over to put her hand on Asami's arm, then she shut her eyes and closed the gap. Their lips met for the briefest of seconds, but once again time had stopped for Korra. She felt Asami ease into the embrace immediately upon contact, lightly touching Korra's arm. Her acceptance of what Korra had done, of what she was _doing right now_, might as well have caused Korra's head to explode with joy, anxiety, and relief at the same time. Korra had been right in her estimation of the softness of Asami's lips.

The door to their room opened suddenly, and in walked Pema with an armful of folded clothes.

Korra jerked back away from Asami with lightning-speed at the sound of the door opening, sitting upright to look at this new intruder. She was out of breath, and she silently wished that Asami would've taken it all from her so that Korra could die right now.

Pema stood still for only an instant, then placed the clothes she was carrying on the dresser against the wall. When she spoke, it was with her same ordinary tone. "Here you go, fresh clothes for tomorrow. Asami, I found this before washing yours yesterday. It was in one of your pant-pockets." She held up a sealed letter, then put it on the dresser, too. "Good night, you two." And with that, she walked out and closed the door behind her.

Asami hadn't even sat up yet, and Korra wanted nothing more than for her legs to be in running-shape _right now_. She had turned her body away so that Asami couldn't see her panicked expression.

_Damn, damn, damn, _she thought, screaming inside her head. _Pema just saw…dammit, I'm so stupid!_

If the previous two moments had been long, then this new not-pleasant-at-all-but-instead-painfully-awkward moment indeed lasted for eternity.

Korra didn't know if she should apologize or not. She didn't know if she should try to run out of the room, despite her injuries. She didn't know if she was going to cry or not. She didn't know anything at all right then.

Asami broke the silence. "Korra…." She sat up with considerable effort, then placed a gentle hand on Korra's shoulder.

Korra flinched at the touch, her senses becoming super-aware of everything that was happening. She still didn't turn around.

"Korra, please….look at me," Asami pleaded. "It's OK." Her breathing was working back up towards painful again, but she clamped down on it. "Korra."

For some reason, this almost set Korra off. If Asami had been _anyone _else, Korra probably would've yelled at her. Instead, she turned around quickly to look at Asami.

"OK?" Korra said, exasperation coating her words. "How is this OK? We…I just…._Pema saw_…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say or do next.

Asami took both of her hands and looked her in the face. "I don't care what Pema saw…Korra, I…I'm happy. That it happened," she said, giving Korra one of those smiles that made her stomach squirm with joy.

Asami's words washed away Korra's rising sense of dread and fear. She was _happy _that Korra had kissed her. What's more, Korra realized that she herself was also happy about it. The immediate and overwhelming relief that these confessions brought to Korra overtook her suddenly, and Asami pulled her in for a hug.

Korra laid her head on Asami's shoulder and let out a deep sigh. Along with the breath she had been holding, this sigh released all of the pent-up emotions that Korra had been harboring for the past few months, if not longer. All of her anger, confusion, and embarrassment suddenly left her, and she gladly replaced those feelings with the ones she was experiencing right now.


	9. Chapter 8: Acceptance

CHAPTER VIII: ACCEPTANCE

When Korra awoke the next morning, it was still dark. Or she assumed it was still dark, though it was hard to tell in this windowless room. This room was probably always somewhat dark without any lights on, she figured, and there wasn't a clock in this room to check the time.

She was facing the wall when she awoke, and she turned over on the bed to see if Asami was awake yet. They had slept in the same bed, partly because they both had been too exhausted to move to the other bed, and because they wanted to. Mostly because they had wanted to.

Korra saw that Asami was still asleep and that she had turned to face the other bed in her sleep, so her back was to Korra. She studied the curve of Asami's body in silence, starting at her shoulders and working her way down.

Korra couldn't remember ever feeling this way about another person before, let alone another girl. Then again, throughout her childhood and teenage years she had trained rigorously to be the best Avatar she could be. There had never been time for her to get to know someone like this, and before Mako (if that really even counted) she had never dated anyone before. Sure, she'd had a few minor crushes during her life in the Southern Water Tribe, but being the Avatar had _always _come first. Now, she briefly wondered if her Avatar status had maybe turned-off a few potential love interests back then. If it had, she wouldn't have cared or noticed back then. Her Avatar spirit, along with her talent for bending, had been Korra's first love.

As she thought about these things, Korra realized that maybe that had something to do with her current attraction to Asami. Asami didn't look at her like most people usually did. That is, Asami didn't see her as just the Avatar. Asami liked her for _her_, and that attracted Korra deeply. When Asami treated Korra with respect or kindness, it wasn't because she revered Korra like some deity. It was because she cared for her as a person. When Korra had been with Mako, she'd noticed how he always seemed to be trying too hard, like he was afraid to screw up their relationship. At first, she wrote it off thinking that he was just nervous, and she liked that, for a while. But as they continued seeing each other it had only gotten worse, and she knew that Mako had fallen into the same trap. He really did like her: Korra had seen that, and she liked him a lot, too. But his respect and reverence for her status as the Avatar overrode his attraction to her in time, and she eventually realized that it would be best to break it off with Mako.

Asami, on the other hand, had never fallen into that same pit of respect. When they had first met, it had ticked Korra off slightly. She had been so used to seeing people's expressions of awe when they saw her, so when Asami hadn't done the same, it had angered Korra somewhat. She had thought Asami was just stuck-up perhaps, or that maybe she didn't know what being the Avatar implied. The only people that had ever treated Korra _normally_, before Asami,were her own parents. It made Korra smile, thinking back on the drastic changes that her friendship with Asami had undergone. Their friendship was still changing, though she had a feeling that it was morphing into something more: she had _kissed _Asami just last night!

Korra turned back to her edge of the bed, quietly throwing the covers off of her and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her wheelchair was next to the door, about fifteen feet away. She didn't want to wake Asami up, so she made a plan of action as to how she was going to get in that chair as quietly and as painlessly as possible. Korra figured the safest route was to lean against the wall and ease her way over to the corner, then pull the wheelchair underneath her. She experimentally rolled her ankles and extended her legs individually, seeing how they felt. _Kya must be a miracle-worker_, she thought. Her legs were feeling fantastic, at least compared to how they were just three short days ago.

Korra executed her plan of motion, silently pushing off from the bed and leaning against the wall. She quickly shuffled her way into the corner, mostly using her hands to inch her way across. When she got into the corner of the wall, she pulled the wheelchair to her so that the edge of the seat was touching her legs. Korra then pushed herself away from the wall, turning ninety-degrees to land safely into the chair. She'd made it, and Asami hadn't budged.

Feeling very proud of this accomplishment, Korra opened the door and wheeled herself through, pausing outside the room before shutting the door. She glanced back at Asami, who was still asleep. Korra felt a soft tug on her heart, as if this room didn't want her to leave and was trying to coax her back in. She resolved to get some fresh air and then come back to see if Asami was awake, and she softly closed the door behind her.

As she made her way through the living quarters and toward the kitchen, Korra could see that it was still pretty early in the morning. She passed one window in the hallway and saw that the sun was just starting to rise, a little sliver of golden red resting on the horizon. Korra bypassed the kitchen, instead going right and then taking a side door that led outside onto a small porch overlooking the courtyard.

A few airbender trainees were already up jogging around the island, one or two of them occasionally floating into view in the sky, dressed in the Air Nation's new flight-suits. But this little porch was empty, and Korra rolled herself up to the railing to gaze out at the bay. Republic City rose majestically in the distance, its tallest towers and skyscrapers competing to see which one could reach the clouds first. The view was gorgeous, and Korra wondered why she'd never come here before.

After a few minutes, the door Korra had come through opened suddenly, but she didn't immediately turn to see who it was. She was still admiring the view, as the City slowly grew in brightness as the sun rose steadily. Korra heard a soft tinkling and small footsteps coming her way, so she looked around to welcome this newcomer.

Korra's heart _and _stomach dropped to the floor, and she was sure her face had gone pale, as Pema came toward her holding a teapot and some cups on a tray.

Korra had intentionally avoided the kitchen because she figured Pema might've been in there. _Please, spirits, _Korra prayed quickly, _just kill me_.

Pema had walked into their room last night mere moments after Korra and Asami had begun their kiss, and Korra knew that she had seen it. How could she _not_ have seen it? Although she had been distraught at the time, Korra reckoned that it could have been worse. After all, Meelo could've been the one to interrupt them, or perhaps Tenzin. Either way, Pema had seen Korra and Asami kiss each other, and she was therefore the last person Korra wanted to talk to right now.

Pema came over to Korra and placed the tray between them on the railing. Without saying a word, she filled the two cups with hot tea and handed one to Korra with a warm smile. Korra begrudgingly took it, although she was glad for the warmth that the cup provided. She held it in both hands, resting the bottom of the cup on her lap as she stared into the steaming tea. Korra didn't want to look at Pema.

Pema leaned against the railing while she sipped her tea, looking out over the bay at Republic City in the distance. They both stayed like this for several minutes, Pema silently drinking her tea while Korra looked around at everything but her. Finally Pema broke the uncomfortable stillness.

"I've always loved sitting here, too," she said softly. Korra still didn't look up at her. "The City is so beautiful from right here. Something about this spot, the way the City reflects the light and the sound of the waves, has always been able to calm me down when I need it the most."

Korra hadn't said anything to her. She hadn't even really acknowledged Pema's presence aside from accepting the teacup, and Korra was now intently studying the way steam rose from her tea.

Pema placed her cup on the railing and turned towards her. "Korra," she began, playing with her fingers nervously. "If…if you don't want to talk about it, then that's completely fine. But I want you to know that I'm here for you. If you're worried that I've told anyone, don't be. That's for you and Asami to work out, and it's no one else's business."

She paused, hoping that Korra would say something. Korra was still trying to avoid meeting Pema's eyes, and after another moment of silence Pema sighed.

"Korra, we love you. Everyone here on this island loves you. Tenzin, Bumi, Kya, Ikki, Meelo, Jinora, everyone. _I _love you, Korra. You've been like daughter to me, and I only want to help you, if you'd let me." She paused again, and Korra finally turned to look up at her. Pema was wearing her usual expression of motherly-worry, but it had a sense of understanding about it. Korra felt her eyes tear up slightly at Pema's words.

She reached over and placed her hand on Korra's shoulder, and continued. "I want you to know that this doesn't change anything, Korra. No one here is going to think any less of you. All we care about is your happiness, and if Asami makes you happy, then that's all that matters."

Korra hadn't considered any of these things yet. She herself had never recoiled from the sight of two women in a relationship, but for some reason it felt different now that _she _was one of those women. Yes, Asami made her happy. Asami made her very happy. But for reasons that Korra couldn't put into words, she had somehow expected other people to not understand. When Pema had walked in on them, this was what had worried Korra: she had thought Pema, along with everyone else, would be disgusted with her. She was wrong.

Korra blinked away the tears that had formed in her eyes, and she lunged forward to hug Pema around the waist. Pema almost dropped her teacup, but she set it down on the railing again and stroked Korra's hair gently.

"Thank you," Korra said into Pema's dress after a moment.

She pulled away from her and sat back in her wheelchair, wiping the remaining tears with the back of her hand. Her tea had gotten cold, and she almost spit it out as she took a sip.

Pema smiled. "Here," she said, offering to pour Korra some more tea from the kettle. Korra dumped the cold tea over the railing into the grass below, and held out her cup for Pema to fill.

As Pema poured the tea, she glanced up at Korra. "So," she said, keeping her tone non-intrusive. "How long have you known?"

"I…don't know," Korra said, perhaps finally ready to talk. She took a sip of the tea, appreciating the warmth of the liquid as it rolled down her throat. "I've never really thought about it like that." She'd certainly never talked about something like this with anyone before. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, hoping to maybe look back on her life and see the one moment when she'd realized she liked boys _and _girls. But she didn't see that moment, because it had never happened. Somehow, she had always known.

"I guess…always?" Korra continued, trying to relate her feelings to Pema. "I mean…well, I don't know what I mean. I've never thought about it before because it was always there, but it was sort of…ignored, I suppose."

Pema nodded her head, but remained silent so that Korra would go on.

Korra felt her confidence slowly building up. She found that it was actually nice to confide in Pema. "Before I came to Republic City for the first time, I'd never dated anyone. I was always training to be the Avatar…well, I mean, I _am _the Avatar, and everyone in the Tribe knew it. Everyone but my parents treated me like some icon, even people my age. So…I think I've always known this, that I'm…bisexual. I just never knew how to express it, so…I never did."

Korra had, for an instant, struggled to say the word 'bisexual.' But after she had said it, an intense feeling of relief swept over her, as if she had been wearing lead weights around her neck and they had suddenly been lifted. While she had been talking, she'd been looking out at the City again, gazing past the watery bay while she collected her thoughts. When she had finished, Korra turned to look back up at Pema. She was smiling, and the worry had left her face. Korra saw that there was no disgust in her expression, no judgmental glint in her eyes. Just kindness and understanding.

Pema spoke up now that Korra was done. "I know this wasn't easy for you, and I'm proud of you, Korra. Just know that if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you, and the same goes for Asami. I assure you that everyone else here will welcome the two of you, when you decide to let them know."

After another moment of quiet, both Korra and Pema had finished their tea, and Pema gathered the cups and kettle and put them back on the tray. She reached out to give Korra's hand one last reassuring squeeze before going back inside. _Those airbender kids are so lucky to have a mom like Pema,_ Korra thought.

Korra lagged behind Pema for just a few seconds, taking one last look out over the bay towards the City. Its glass towers were now dazzlingly bright, as the sun was now fully risen.

* * *

Asami awoke to an empty room, and an empty bed. When she had opened her eyes, Korra wasn't lying next to her. It was also still pretty dark in this room due to its windowless nature, so she turned on the bedside lamp. She turned over to look at the other bed, thinking that Korra had maybe moved over there. But she wasn't there, either. Asami threw the covers off and tried to sit up, immediately regretting it. _Oh yeah, _she remembered. _Those are still broken_.

She laid her head back down onto the pillow and gazed up at the ceiling, wondering where Korra had gone. The memory of last night's kiss was at the forefront of Asami's mind, and she took this moment alone to silently rejoice. Asami had managed to tell (and show) Korra how she felt, how she _really _felt about her, and Korra hadn't refuted or ridiculed her. It suddenly occurred to her that Korra had actually been the one to initiate the kiss. This fact had somehow escaped her in the emotional whirlwind of last night, and for Asami this shed a new light on things.

It meant that Korra had been feeling what Asami had been feeling! It meant that Korra was just like her, and they could now take their relationship to the level that Asami had only dreamt about. She didn't have to feel guilty about these feelings anymore, because Korra felt the same way! Here she was, lying with broken ribs and unable to even get out of bed, and yet Asami had never felt happier.

But she did wonder what these new feelings must be doing to Korra. Asami had seen the momentary panic on Korra's face last night after Pema had walked in on them, and she worried that Korra might be struggling with this new attraction. Asami didn't want to add another topic of worry to Korra's already-full list.

Asami resolved to make her intentions clear to Korra the next chance she got: she definitely wanted an actual relationship with Korra, if she was willing. But Asami was fairly certain that this rocky early phase wouldn't last long for them. She knew Korra, and she knew that when her blue-eyed friend put her mind to something she saw it through.

Besides, Asami had _seen_ her friend's desire reveal itself last night. Even though their kiss couldn't have lasted longer than fifteen seconds, Asami felt Korra pour her heart out in that brief span of time. When Korra had moved in to kiss her, Asami's own skin had been electrified with happiness. There was no doubt that the spark between them was real. Korra just needed a little guidance, perhaps. Heck, Asami could use a little help herself.

Asami suddenly began to laugh aloud at an insane thought she'd just had. Before last night, she had been worried for months about how or when she was going to tell Korra how she felt. During that time, the memory of Giji Kirasito's cruel rejection had haunted her relentlessly, effectively preventing Asami from approaching Korra with this information. She hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship over a stupid crush. But their kiss last night proved that this was definitely not a one-sided crush, and Asami had just now thought of what Giji would say. In her head, Asami pictured herself arm-in-arm with Korra as they had run into Giji at a restaurant or something, and Giji's head had exploded into confetti from jealousy. Perhaps it was a little childish to want to rub it in Giji's face, but it still felt good to think about.

As she lay there thinking about all of this, the door to the room opened quietly. Asami pushed herself up onto her pillow, her aching ribs still preventing a full sitting position after lying flat all night.

Korra poked her head around the door, and it was highly comical because her head was much lower to the ground than it should be, due to her being in a wheelchair. But Asami bit back a laugh and smiled instead.

"Sorry," Korra said, wheeling herself in and shutting the door. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, you're fine. I was already awake, I just…can't get up," Asami replied. She was getting used to breathing only at half-capacity, but she still had to pause mid-sentence frequently.

"Oh," Korra said. She had rolled herself over to Asami's bedside. "Well…am I too late for a 'good morning'?" she asked with a smile.

Asami smiled back. "Good morning."

She reached out and took one of Korra's hands, and was pleasantly surprised when Korra returned the gesture by twining her fingers tightly through Asami's. Korra held her gaze for a moment before continuing.

"Some week we've had, huh?" she said with a sigh.

Asami burst out laughing, though only as loud as her ribcage would allow. "You can say that again."

"Some week we've…" Korra teased, threatening playfully to actually say it again.

Asami beamed at her. _Korra's handling this very well, _she thought.

"Don't…make me laugh," Asami said as she began to get short on breath again.

After she calmed down a bit, Asami spoke up. They were still sitting there holding hands. "Listen, Korra," she began. "If you…don't want to. I mean, I don't want…you to feel…obligated…" she trailed off, hoping that Korra would catch her meaning. She didn't want Korra to feel pressured into continuing this, this new evolution of their friendship.

Thankfully Korra caught on, saving Asami some breath. "I _do _want this, Asami. I really do."

Asami could've died right then and it would've been fine by her. Although, she was pretty glad that she _didn't _die, so that she could stay here with Korra.

Korra's stomach suddenly made an audible rumbling sound, indicating that the intimate moment was over and that Korra was hungry. "Um," Korra said, blushing at how loud her stomach had groaned. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Sure. Will you help…?" Asami asked, holding out both hands to indicate she needed help getting out of bed. The irony of this was so palpable it could've been cut with a knife. Just a few days ago, Asami had been helping Korra in and out of bed. Now, Korra was _still _wheelchair-bound, but she was now assisting Asami.

Korra positioned her wheelchair between the beds, making sure to leave space between herself and Asami's bed so that Asami could stand up. She lowered the little lever that acted as a brake to prevent her chair from moving, and she grabbed hold of Asami's hands. Asami held her breath, and Korra pulled her up off the bed and onto her feet. But Asami's ribs protested yet again at the tugging motion, and she went slack in pain for a moment and fell forward onto Korra.

Asami was practically laying on top of Korra in her chair, and Korra had both hands around her waist. After a brief moment of surprise, she looked down at Korra and smiled, who smiled back. Asami put her arms around Korra's neck and eased into her lap a bit more. Their faces were very close.

"Maybe we should…just stay here?" Asami offered playfully.

Korra's stomach erupted in another groan of hunger, this one perhaps even louder than the last. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, her smile turning into a slight grimace of embarrassment.

Asami laughed softly. "I'm just teasing you. I'm hungry, too…let's go."

But before either of them moved to separate, Asami brought her in for a small kiss. Nothing special, just a very quick and light peck on Korra's lips. When she pulled away, Korra's whole visage was shining with delight. Asami put her feet back on the ground, and with Korra's help she stood up.

The two of them left their room and headed towards the large dining room for breakfast. As they approached the door, Korra could hear that everyone was already seated and busy eating. Asami held the door for Korra wheel through, preferring now to roll herself, and they entered the large room.

This was the main dining area on Air Temple Island, though there were two smaller eating rooms on both sides as well. This large room had two long tables set up parallel to each other, with rows of chairs on both sides of each table. Altogether, there were ten chairs available in this dining room, as each table sat five people. The new airbender trainees typically took their meals in the other two rooms (though when the weather was nice, a lot of them ate outside), as there was an unspoken hierarchy already established in the new Air Nation. Tenzin and his family, along with Korra and Asami, always ate in this large room, and the other airbenders ate in the other rooms. That's just how it was, and no one argued to change it.

Tenzin, Pema, Bumi, Kya, and Jinora sat at one table, and they each greeted Korra and Asami as they came in. Ikki and Meelo were sitting at the other table, giving Jinora mean looks from across the room. Apparently they were upset that Jinora wouldn't sit with them.

When they entered the room, Tenzin stood up. "Good morning, you two. How're you both feeling?"

"Fine," they both said at once.

Pema also stood up and went back into the kitchen to fetch their meals. Korra wheeled over to Ikki and Meelo's table and pushed aside one of the chairs, since she didn't need one. Asami sat next to her on the left, and the two airbender kids were across from them.

Meelo was giving Asami some funny looks, and he kept inspecting the layer of bandages that was visible around her collar bone.

"Are you gonna die, pretty lady?" he asked her. He never could remember Asami's name.

Asami smiled. "No…I'm fine."

"You don't _sound _fine," he continued, noticing her shortness of breath. Meelo turned to Korra next. "What about you Korra, are you gonna die? You've been in that thing for an awful long time," he said, pointing to her wheelchair.

Ikki pushed her brother. "You are so rude!"

"Am not!" he retorted.

Korra was silently wishing that she'd taken Asami's offer to stay in their room.

Pema came back with a plate in each hand. She walked over and placed one in front of Korra and gave the other to Asami, who both thanked her for the food. Pema then rounded on her two children.

"I heard that, you two," she scolded, wagging a finger at them. "Leave the girls alone and eat your breakfast. That means _all _of it, Meelo." Pema then smiled at Korra and gave her a quick confidential wink, then went back to the other table and resumed her spot next to Tenzin.

Asami leaned close to whisper to Korra. She had seen Pema's wink. "What was that about?" she asked, worried that Korra might still be stressed at how Pema had interrupted them last night.

"I had a talk with her earlier. It's fine, she understands," Korra explained, not going into detail because the two airbender kids were watching them, trying to hear what Korra said.

"Hey!" Meelo said. "There's no secrets in _my _house!"

"Meelo, hush!" Pema said from the other table, shooting daggers from her eyes at him. The little airbending boy folded his arms and pouted in his chair. "Thanks a lot, Korra," he mumbled. Korra, Asami, and Ikki laughed.

Korra's stomach hadn't been lying: she was really hungry. Today Pema had made fresh biscuits with a bowl of piping-hot oatmeal on the side, and there were a few jars of honey, butter, and jelly on the table for the biscuits. Korra buttered one biscuit and gave a generous layer of jelly to another, eating as quickly and politely as she could. Pema had given Korra and Asami three of these large biscuits, and even though Korra was hungry she didn't think she could finish all of them along with the oatmeal. But she was going to try.

Korra noticed Asami was having a little more difficulty eating. She figured that it was because of her injured ribcage: you still have to breathe while you chew, after all. But Asami was eating, just much slower than Korra, so she didn't worry too much about it.

After a little while, Korra heard Tenzin clear his throat loudly, indicating that he had something to say for everyone to hear. He didn't stand up, instead looking around to make sure everyone was attentive. What Korra hadn't noticed, however, was that Lin Beifong and two metalbenders she didn't know had entered the room, and they were also looking to Tenzin.

"I think we're all here now," he began, "so let's get to it." He turned to look at Korra and Asami, his expression softening a bit. "The past couple of days have been hard on us all, especially for you two," he said, nodding his head at them. "Lin and I have discussed increasing the amount of active security here on the island, and no matter what happens, that will still take effect. Lin has agreed to send more of her metalbenders as we move forward, but…" he trailed off, looking at his sister, Kya. He turned back to Korra and Asami. "The news of these recent attacks on the island, the attacks on you two, has spread throughout the City. Therefore, Kya and I, along with Lin, Bumi, and Pema, believe that it would be best to get you two out of Republic City for the time being."

Korra was quiet for a moment. She had considered this idea as well, though she had no clue where to go. Also, Korra didn't like the idea of running away with her tail between her legs.

Asami spoke first, echoing Korra's thoughts. "But where would we go? Even if we left…Tenora would find out. He has vast…resources at his…disposal. He'll find out…somehow." She looked to Korra, and Korra grabbed her hand under the table, squeezing it gently.

Now it was Lin's turn to speak. "That's why we're going to smuggle you two out of the City."


	10. Chapter 9: Preparation

CHAPTER IX: PREPARATION

"Let's assume that this plan will work," Korra said, "and we _do _manage to get away from Republic City in secret. Even then, Tenora will think we're still here on the island, and he may attack again!" This new plan, the idea of smuggling Korra and Asami out of the City, did not seem logical to Korra. She wasn't willing to let her friends protect her, at least not like this.

"I agree," Asami added. "I don't want…to put you all in harm's way. If Tenora…_does _attack again while we're gone…" She didn't finish that sentence, as they all could tell what she meant. If Tenora, or more of his lackeys, assaulted Air Temple Island again and they weren't here, he may lash out at whoever _is_. Neither Korra nor Asami wanted to place Tenzin's family or the new airbenders in that position.

Tenzin stood up now, and he gestured at Lin and the metalbenders. "I understand you may not want to leave, but you haven't heard the whole plan yet. Lin?" he said, letting the Chief of Police have the floor.

Lin picked up where he left off. "I've contacted my sister, and she and her Metal Clan have agreed to lend their 'expertise' in this matter." Korra remembered how Lin had mentioned that her sister, Su Beifong, had once associated with petty criminals in her youth. She assumed that that was what Lin was referring to. "Su and her metalbenders should arrive by this evening, though they'll stay on the outskirts of the City for now. Under the cover of night, they'll meet us here on the island and take you two with them. They'll also leave a fair number of extra security to stay here on the island." Lin then indicated her own metalbenders. "While you two are gone, Tenzin and Pema have agreed to house my three Metal Teams here as well, and together with Su's forces we'll make a temporary base of operations here until this whole Tenora case gets resolved. If Tenora _does _attack again, we'll be more than ready."

Now it was Meelo's turn to speak up. "Yeah, we'll be ready!" he said, banging his fist on the table.

Pema stood up, blushing at her child's interruption, and she came over and led him and Ikki outside, much to their own dismay. Both kids protested, but Pema shushed them, and that was that.

Something still bothered Korra about this plan, though she couldn't say what. Tenzin and Lin seemed to have thought of everything already: they were to be smuggled out in secret and both Beifong's Metal Teams will stay here and protect the island, so it all sounded reasonable. But it felt almost cowardly to Korra, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Why don't we just stay _and _have your Metal Teams come here?" Korra asked Lin. "That way, if Tenora comes back I…" She clamped her mouth shut. Korra had wanted to say 'if Tenora comes back I can fight him,' but she realized that that wasn't an option. She really did hate being stuck in this wheelchair.

Tenzin's brow furrowed, and he caught on to what Korra had wanted to say. "Korra, I know it's not like you to run from a fight, but neither of you are in any condition to stay here." Now Tenzin looked at Asami. "Miss Sato, we have reason to believe that Tenora needs you alive, though for what, we don't know yet. He has attacked Air Temple Island twice to get to you. Whatever his plan is, he needs _you_. That's why we're doing this."

Asami remembered Tenora's words: _You have something that I require, Miss Sato…And you're going to tell me where to find it_. Asami still had no clue what he wanted. She had racked her brain over and over, but the fact was that if Asami had access to something, Tenora did too. After all, he was the vice president of her company. She couldn't fathom what he needed _her _for, but it still gave her chills. Tenzin was right. Whatever it was, it was bound to be bad.

"Where will we go?" Asami asked Tenzin.

Kya turned around in her chair to look at Asami and Korra. "We're sending you two to the Southern Water Tribe, to be treated by our mother. While you're there recovering, hopefully we can resolve this Tenora issue."

Korra perked up at Kya's words. She loved Katara, and she wondered why they hadn't sent her there to be healed before now. Although, her injuries had been rather extensive up until now, so she supposed it made sense. She also couldn't wait to see her polar bear-dog, Naga.

Korra also felt a sudden wave of anxiety rush through her body. Going to the South Pole meant going home. She was going to see her parents again. Korra hadn't seen them in quite some time, and the anxiety she felt was because she was going home _with Asami_. As Korra had explained to Pema earlier, she'd never dated anyone during her life in the Southern Water Tribe, which also meant her parents didn't know about her bisexual orientation. Hopefully _that _conversation would go over as well as it had with Pema. Korra couldn't think of any reason why her parents wouldn't welcome Asami, but she still felt a deep anxiety that wouldn't go away. It was like the panic she had felt after Pema had walked in on her kissing Asami: it swept over her and temporarily blocked out everything else, and she suddenly felt cold.

Korra didn't hear whatever was said for several moments. Her mind was turning at the speed of light as she imagined every possible scenario. In Korra's mind, she saw really only three paths this future conversation could take. The first one was positive, with her parents wholeheartedly accepting her and Asami. In truth, she thought that this would most likely happen, but the other two options reared their ugly heads in her brain.

The second path consisted of what would happen if Korra's parents _didn't _accept her newly-revealed feelings for Asami. Korra imagined this scene as if it was happening right in front of her. She saw her mother's stricken expression as Korra tried to relate her feelings for Asami, followed by her father's raised voice denouncing the whole thing. She saw herself crying, yelling at them to try to understand, to see things from her point of view. Korra realized that this catastrophe was so far away from reality, as her parents had always supported her in whatever she chose to do. But it hurt her soul to even think that this might happen, despite the very high improbability of it.

The third route that this conversation could take was more ambiguous than the other two. Here, Korra imagined her parents simply being confused about it. This created a situation where Korra was made to feel embarrassed about her feelings for Asami, and consequently she drew further and further away from her parents. In some ways, this scenario was worse than the previous one, but it made Korra question, if only for an instant, if she actually _was _embarrassed.

Was she embarrassed about liking Asami, about liking other girls? She didn't think she was, as her talk with Pema had given Korra a much-needed boost in self-confidence. But the mere thought about telling her parents had caused a wave of anxiety to whirl through her. Korra thought she heard her name being called, and she was abruptly brought back to the present.

She felt Asami's grip on her hand tighten for a second. "Korra?" Asami said.

Korra's eyes refocused as her train of thought slipped away. "Huh?" she said, looking around crazily for a second.

While Korra had been thinking, Kya had stood up and walked over to their table. Lin and the metalbenders had also left the room, and everyone else was beginning to get up from their breakfast. Korra guessed that the meeting was over, and apparently Kya had been saying something to her and Asami.

Kya resumed her speech. "Give me another half-hour, and I'll have the water all set up." With that, she turned and left the dining room.

Korra turned to Asami. "What was she saying?"

"Are you…feeling OK, Korra? You…look a little…pale." Asami's face took on a slightly worried expression, and she reached up to feel one of Korra's cheeks.

Asami's hand was warm, and Korra's skin rippled with sensation at her touch. She reached up to hold Asami's hand against her for a moment longer, savoring the warmth.

"I'm fine," Korra said at first, but then she back-tracked a little. She figured that if she wanted this to work with Asami (and she really did), she might as well tell her what was bothering her. Before now, Korra had come to rely on Asami when she needed to get something off her chest, and she wanted to sustain that tradition into this new relationship.

"Actually," Korra said to Asami, keeping her voice a little lower, "can we talk?"

"Of course. Want to now?" she asked, nodding her head at the door to indicate leaving the dining room.

"Yeah," Korra said.

Korra wheeled herself back away from the table, and Asami stood up, being careful to keep her neck and chest level. They thanked Pema again for their breakfast and quietly left the dining room.

As they made their way toward their room again, Korra tried going over what she wanted to say in her head. How should she tell Asami that she was afraid of what her parents would think? There really wasn't any way to say it that Korra could think of that would make her sound less silly. Also, she didn't want to hurt Asami somehow. They had only _just _managed to relate their feelings to each other, after all, and Korra didn't want her parental anxiety to come off as being embarrassed of Asami.

Korra decided silently to be resolute. She _wasn't _embarrassed that she liked Asami. She would just tell Asami what was on her mind and hope for the best. Korra was certain she would understand, anyway.

When they reached their room, Asami again held the door open for her and Korra wheeled through. She came to a stop at the foot of one of the beds, and she lunged up and out of her chair to sit on the edge of the bed, using her hands to steady herself. Asami closed the door and walked over to sit next to her, pushing a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. That little motion distracted Korra for a second: she loved when Asami did that.

"So," Asami said. "What did you…want to talk about?"

Korra sighed, still not sure where or how to begin. She leaned back on the bed, propping herself up with her arms. One of her hands landed next to Asami's, and she began to absent-mindedly stroke Asami's knuckles with her thumb.

"Well," Korra started, "they want us to go to the Southern Water Tribe…" She wasn't looking up at Asami, but was instead watching her thumb as it went back and forth across her knuckles.

"Yeah, to see…Katara. For her healing," Asami replied. Even Asami had heard about Katara's special talent for healing, mostly from Korra herself. Asami suddenly remembered that Korra was from the Southern Water Tribe. "Will your parents be there?" she asked Korra before she could stop herself.

Korra must've winced slightly at the mention of her parents, because Asami suddenly understood what was bothering her. Or at least Korra reckoned that she did, because Asami's face suddenly took on an 'aha!' expression, though it wasn't as dramatic as that.

Asami spoke gently. "I'm guessing…your parents don't know?" When Korra just shook her head without saying anything, Asami understood. She held Korra's hand with both of hers. "I get it, Korra. Really…I do."

Korra looked up at her. Pema's kindness had been one thing, but what she saw in Asami's eyes now was wholly different. In her eyes, Korra saw not just kindness, love, or understanding, although those things were definitely there, but something else that seemed like it combined all three of those attributes to make something new. The sheer intensity of Asami's understanding made itself very clear to Korra in that moment, and she had done this just by looking at her.

Korra sighed again. "I just don't know what I'm going to say to them, other than the obvious." She looked again into the deepest part of Asami's twin emerald oceans, drawing strength and confidence from the beautiful woman sitting next to her. "I want them to understand. I'm almost sure they will, but…I don't know." She hesitated, then added, "I'm _new _at this, Asami."

Asami didn't immediately respond, and instead let go of Korra's hands to reach up and hug her. They sat like that for a second, and she whispered to Korra, "We'll figure…something out." Korra nodded her head in agreement against her shoulder, and Asami began to stroke her hair.

Korra suddenly felt very tired, perhaps because of the emotional hurricane in her mind that was centered on her parents, or perhaps because her stomach was full from breakfast. She slowly leaned toward the bed, gently taking Asami down with her until they were both lying down. They let each other go so that they could lie on their backs and look up at the ceiling, both of them lost in thought for a little while. Korra leaned her head onto Asami's shoulder and closed her eyes, still able to feel the warmth emanating from her skin. Asami then leaned over to her and rested her cheek on Korra's head, and they both drifted into sleep.

* * *

An hour later, their door suddenly flew open and an exasperated voice said, "Ugh, _there _you two are!"

Korra and Asami were still napping in the snuggle position that they had fallen asleep in, and Korra looked up to see who had come in.

Kya was standing there shaking her head with her hands on her hips, though she was smirking a little. "Come on, sleepyheads," she said, "I've been looking all over for you two. You wanna get healed, or not?"

Asami was awake now, and they both continued to lay there rubbing the sleepiness from their eyes. Korra had indeed forgotten about their healing session with Kya, though right now she'd much rather continue napping with Asami. They still hadn't said anything to Kya, and were groaning in place of answers.

Kya couldn't hide her smile now. "You two are unbelievable," she said with a sigh. "I'll be in the healing room when you're ready. And let's make it sometime this _year_, shall we?" She left the room, walking back towards the infirmary.

Korra and Asami both sighed almost simultaneously, and Korra sat up first. "Come on," she said to Asami, "I'll help you up."

Korra swung her own legs over the foot of the bed and eased over the side and into her wheelchair, then wheeled around to get Asami up. After they were both out of bed, they each gathered a change of clothes from the pile Pema had placed on the dresser last night. Asami also saw the letter that Pema had brought her, and she noticed that it was the one she'd received from FlameCo the other day. Asami hadn't opened it yet, and she put it back on the dresser. She would read it after their healing session.

They needed a change of clothes because they were to undress down to their undergarments during their healing, much like swimming in an actual pool. And also because they were both still wearing pajamas, as they hadn't changed when they had awoke this morning.

As they made their way past the other rooms in the living quarters and made a left towards the infirmary, Korra wondered if this particular healing session was going to end as abruptly and violently as the last one. She sorely hoped not, and she looked up at Asami walking next to her, who looked back down at Korra. Judging by Asami's facial expression, Korra figured that she'd been thinking the same thing.

Korra also wondered, as she had done so many times before, if _this _session would be the one to fully restore the use of her legs. She so desperately wanted to walk again, to run again, without having to rely on anyone or anything. Meelo had been right: Korra had been in this wheelchair for an awfully long time, and frankly she was tired of using it.

Despite how much she detested this wheelchair, that feeling paled in comparison to how much she missed her bending. Zaheer's poison had somehow damaged her Avatar spirit during the time it had run its course through her body, the result of which had left her powerless. Her muscles weren't alone in their near-uselessness, as she had managed to bend only once since Su Beifong had extracted the poison from her system. And even that had been in a time of great need, when Asami was getting beaten by those thugs. Korra had previously asked her healers (though she now questioned their diagnosis) and Su if perhaps not all of the poison was out, though Su assured her that it was. That metal poison had just cut her deep, right down to her soul, and it was going to take a while to properly heal. Korra had long ago stopped hoping for every healing session to be _the _healing session, the one that would restore her bending.

Looking up at Asami next to her, though, it was hard not to have hope.

They arrived at the healing room's sliding doors, and Korra braced herself for an instant as Asami opened them. The last time Korra had opened these doors, she had seen Tenora bloodbending Asami, and she was very thankful when all she saw this time was Kya waiting for them on a bench, arms folded.

"Well, it's about time," she said to them, though her tone was more teasing than scolding. Kya pointed to a standing screen in a corner of the room. "Let's get you two undressed, then we can start."

Korra and Asami walked over to the screen, and Korra was about to follow Asami behind it to help her undress (she still couldn't quite lift her arms over her head to get her shirt off) when Kya laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I got this, honey," she said to Korra. Asami gave Korra a little nod, then went behind the screen with Kya.

Korra pouted a little, though only for an instant. She had wanted to help Asami undress.

She decided to undress herself out here while they were behind the screen, starting with her pajama shirt. It was a long-sleeved shirt, and she unbuttoned it and pulled her arms out, shivering a little as the air touched her bare arms and stomach. Next Korra untied the waistband of her pajama pants, reaching down to grip the hem and tug the pants loose from her legs. She made a little jump in her wheelchair to get the pants from under her bottom, and she discarded both the shirt and pants next to the screen. She was now undressed enough, wearing only her bra and some thigh-length briefs, and she rolled her chair over to the side of the healing-pool.

Asami and Kya came back from behind the screen, with Asami just as undressed as Korra was. They locked eyes for a moment and both blushed slightly, but Kya didn't notice. Korra noticed that Kya had also taken Asami's bandages off, which revealed the extent of her injuries. Most of Asami's ribcage was a semi-dark yellowish color, and there was quite a bit of dark bruising around the base of her neck. Korra winced a little when she saw it, as this was the first time she'd seen Asami without the bandages.

Kya helped Asami into the water first, then came over to Korra and helped her up out of the chair and into the pool, where she sat next to Asami. They were up to their necks in the water, and Korra noticed that it had been warmed up for them. It felt good to just sit in it, even though the healing hadn't started yet.

"Alright," Kya said. "You two just relax, and I'll see if I can't make you a little better." Korra thought Kya was selling herself a little short, as she really was a very talented healer.

Kya stood back behind them and started waterbending the healing-water, causing an artificial tide to sweep back and forth across Korra and Asami. The water also began to glow slightly, filling the whole room with a calming blue light. Korra began to feel the soothing euphoria that normally accompanied waterbending healing, and her eyelids soon became very heavy. She scooted over closer to Asami and laid her head on her shoulder, and also laced her fingers through Asami's under the water, taking hold of her hand.

Asami leaned her head against Korra's as well, and they fell asleep like this once again.

* * *

Kya continued to bend the healing-water back and forth across the two injured women after they'd fallen asleep. Physically speaking, Asami's injuries were more serious than Korra's at this point. When Kya closed her eyes and concentrated, she could see what the water could feel. She saw brief glimpses into the anatomy of each girl. It wasn't like looking into a carcass, though. It was more akin to an understanding of how their bodies worked and felt than it was to an actual image of their insides. When she was healing, Kya felt a strange connection to her patients. She didn't know how to explain it.

She could almost see the broken bones inside Asami's body. The bottom two rows of Asami's ribcage were broken, each one of them. Her collar bone had taken severe damage as well. It was a wonder that Asami didn't whimper in pain all day, though Kya had heard her shortness of breath when Asami spoke. Again, Kya wished that she was Katara, and she was glad that these two would soon be treated by her legendary mother.

As she continued flowing her tide of healing-water, Kya felt a strange presence inside Korra. She'd noticed this when she had been healing these two the other day, but at the time she'd been more worried about helping Korra and Asami regain consciousness. Now that they weren't in any immediate danger, she honed in on this weird aspect of Korra's body.

Kya couldn't see or feel exactly what it was, but through her connection with the water she began to get an idea. Korra's entire musculature, while well-toned and seemingly strong, was been inhibited by a strange force that Kya couldn't quite trace. She pushed the tide of water back across Korra, renewing her insight into the poor girl's injuries. There, she saw it. Kya charged the healing-water with a slight increase of energy to match the two girls' heartbeats, and she was shocked at what she sensed.

Inside Korra's muscles, throughout her entire body, was a substance that Kya didn't recognize. It was so prevalent inside Korra that it was no wonder Kya hadn't noticed it before: it was everywhere. It pervaded every aspect of the young woman, though it was concentrated most heavily in her legs. Kya pulled the tide back and surged it forward again to make sure she wasn't imagining things. Sure enough, now that she'd seen it she couldn't ignore it. It was like someone had dipped Korra into a vat of muscle-inhibitors, and her body had absorbed them like a sponge. This substance wasn't necessarily destroying the girl's muscles, but it was somehow preventing them from receiving the full benefit of Kya's healing.

When a waterbender is healing someone, especially like now when the patient is fully submerged, they have some control over the person's internal systems. For example, the very rich and famous denizens of Republic City were notorious for drinking heavily all night, just to see a healer in the morning to purge all the alcohol out of them. An experienced healer can do that, though it was sometimes a dangerous process. If the healer wasn't careful, they could cause some serious internal injuries. Kya thought about kick-starting Korra's circulatory system to rapidly filter this substance out of her blood, but she just didn't want to risk it. She didn't see any immediate threat from this strange inhibitory material, other than reducing the effectiveness of her healing, so she decided against it. Kya would leave that to her mother.

Kya gasped aloud suddenly. She just remembered that Tenzin and Lin Beifong had actually uncovered this information just yesterday after they had interrogated Korra's previous healers. Their own leader had been one of Tenora's henchmen, and he had spiked his healing-water with some mystery drug at the bloodbender's command. Tenzin had said that he thought _this _was why Korra had been seeing little progress in her recovery, and it suddenly made sense to Kya. This drug had seeped its way into every limb and extremity of Korra's body, and somehow her body had wholly accepted it. Kya hoped that Katara would know what to do, because aside from an extreme amount of bloodletting, she didn't know how else to get this drug out of Korra.

Kya now turned her attention to Asami's nearly-broken form. The two girls had been asleep in the healing-pool for about forty minutes now, and Kya was getting tired herself. But she didn't want to stop, so she pushed her tide of water back across the two of them for perhaps the thousandth time. This back-and-forth motion of water was critical to swift healing.

Kya first focused on reducing the amount of bruising around Asami's neck and ribs, letting her water encompass the young woman's body with healing energy. _The human body is a wondrous thing, _Kya thought. With the proper care, a person's own body is sometimes the best healer there is. Waterbenders only speed up that process somewhat. However, the human body can also be stubborn at times. After discovering the drug inside Korra, Kya immediately recognized it inside Asami as well, though it was much less potent. Korra had been subjected to it for _months_, but Asami's body had accepted the substance just as readily as Korra's had.

_Whatever it is, that drug is dangerous,_ Kya thought. _Their bodies don't even know it's there. _But this gave Kya an idea.

Since Asami had been given the drug only once, she wondered if she could at least purge it out of her, since it was too pervasive inside Korra. In Asami, this drug wasn't decreasing Kya's healing nearly as much as it was for Korra. For this reason, Kya decided to at least try.

She halted the motion of the tide, and instead gathered all the healing energy in the pool around Asami. The healing-water around Asami began to glow much brighter, coating the young woman's body with a thin layer of light. Kya closed her eyes again, and used the full extent of her waterbending prowess to give Asami's blood circulation a jolt of beneficial energy, causing her heart and liver to temporarily work in overdrive. Kya didn't want to do this for long, and she hoped it would work before causing any lasting damage. But if it got to that point, Kya would simply let go of the water, and it would end.

Asami's skin became flushed all over, as Kya's actions had caused her to breathe a little faster. _Just a little longer_, she thought. _I can almost see it._

Her plan was to force the toxin to seep back into Asami's stomach, and then perhaps purge it from there. Slowly but surely, it started to work. Asami's blood flow had increased dramatically, and it gradually collected all of the drug from throughout her body. Now that it was pooled together more densely, Kya could sense that it was water-based, which meant two things. One, she could force it out of Asami by bending it. And two, Asami was about to get a rude awakening.

A few more seconds went by and Kya released her hold on Asami, as all of the mystery drug had now collected into Asami's stomach. She waited a little longer for the young woman to calm her breathing, and her skin gradually resumed its light complexion. Kya braced herself. She figured it might be best to do this while Asami was still asleep, that way her body couldn't react as quickly to what Kya was about to do. _It's like ripping off a bandage,_ she told herself. _Do it fast._

Kya spread her feet a little farther apart in a stable stance, and waterbended the toxin up out of Asami's stomach.

Asami's eyes flew open and she lurched forward, knocking Korra's head off of her shoulder. Korra also woke up at this, looking over at Asami, terrified.

"Asami!" Korra yelled, looking back at Kya. "What're you doing?!"

Kya grit her teeth, struggling to yank the substance out of Asami. "Relax—please, Korra."

Kya waved her arms in a fluid motion, then pushed her hands palm-out towards Asami. The heiress doubled over in the healing-pool and opened her mouth in a retching gesture. Korra yelped at the sight, and Kya pulled her hands back toward her body, miming a pulling motion.

Asami lifted her head in the air, and a thin stream of silvery liquid spewed from her mouth. It was out.

Kya gathered all of the toxin in the air, waterbending it into a sphere of silver fluid. She pulled it toward her, looking intently at it.

Asami was leaning over the side of the healing-pool, still dry-retching and coughing for breath. Korra had her arm around her, but she was giving Kya an angry look.

Kya sighed heavily. "Korra, don't look at me like that. Do you even know what this is?" she said, pointing at the floating silver sphere. It was no bigger than a marble.

Asami wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Is that…why that one healer's…water felt different?" Korra looked at the silver liquid, her arm still around Asami.

"Yes," Kya said. She gazed at it like a scientist, wondering what on earth it was made from. "Now that we have a sample…" she trailed off, as the sliding doors to the healing room opened suddenly.

It was Lin Beifong.

"I just got word from Su. They've arrived just outside the City."


	11. Chapter 10: Into The

CHAPTER X: INTO THE...

For the second time in less than three days, Korra had been abruptly awaken while she had been in the healing-pool with Asami. She supposed this particular event wasn't nearly as bad as a Chi Blocker ambush, but it was still jarring. Sleeping in a healing-pool while being treated by a waterbender is perhaps the best feeling there is, in her opinion. Though Korra had begun to think that _this_ particular pool was cursed.

Korra had let go of Asami, who Kya had helped out of the pool and given her a towel, as well as a 'sorry' for waking her up like that. Kya's surprise purging had definitely scared the hell out of Korra, too. The first thing she'd seen as Kya started pulling the toxin out of Asami was her retching and clutching her throat and stomach in pain. Tenzin's sister had already stored the silvery drug in a little flask, and now she reached down to help Korra out of the healing-pool as well.

It took some doing on Kya's part, but she managed to get Korra up into her wheelchair. She shivered as she left the warm water, preferring to stay in the euphoria of Kya's healing.

Kya started patting down Korra's legs with a towel, but she stopped her. "I can do it," Korra said, holding out her hand for the towel. Kya didn't argue, and gave it to her.

As Asami dried herself, Kya had also given her some clean water to drink. Asami came over to sit by Korra on a bench while she drank.

"You alright?" Korra asked her.

Asami swallowed another mouthful of water. "Yeah, I'm fine. That was…weird," she said with a dry laugh.

Korra knew what it felt like to have something brought up and out of her body by someone's bending. It did _not _feel good. She remembered when Lin Beifong had metalbended Zaheer's poison out of her. It had felt like vomiting, but was much more involuntary. When you throw up, at least your body goes along with it eventually. But when something starts going up your throat of its own accord…well, it was _weird_.

"I just wish Kya would've at least warned me," Asami said. "I mean,…I woke up choking. I thought I might have fallen…in the water." She was shaking a little, though Korra couldn't tell if it was from Kya's bending or from leaving the warm water. She put her arm around Asami's shoulder.

"Nah," Korra said, trying to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't have let you drown."

Asami smiled. "Thanks."

"Although," Korra continued, "I _am _a pretty heavy sleeper. So the next time we sleep in a healing-pool, make sure to flap around if you do fall in."

Asami faked a shocked expression. "Korra!" she said, nudging her with an elbow, though she smiled at her joke.

Asami, now that she was dry, walked over to the screen in the corner of the room to change into her clothes. She was feeling much better, and apparently had decided she didn't need help dressing herself. Korra watched her walk toward it, and she was sure she blushed a little at the sight of Asami's well-toned, underwear-clad rear. Her peeping did have a purpose, though: Korra noticed that a lot of the bruising along Asami's ribs was gone, so that was good. As she reached the screen, Asami bent down to pick up her clothes from the nearby bench, and she looked up and saw Korra watching her. Korra didn't look away (though the redness in her cheeks probably deepened), and Asami flashed her eyes toward the door to see if anyone else was looking. Tenzin had arrived with Lin, but they were talking just outside the door with Kya. Asami bit the corner of her lip seductively at Korra and disappeared behind the screen to change.

_Wow,_ Korra thought.

She remembered that she herself was still wearing only underwear, so Korra dried herself off and wheeled toward the bench that her clothes were on. She bent over the side of her wheelchair to pick up her change of clothes, putting the shirt on first. It was her usual dark blue sleeveless shirt with white accents, and she slipped it on over her head. The pants she had brought were also her usual baggy Water Tribe pants, though she'd left her leather skirt and belt in their room, along with her favorite arm band. Korra put her feet in first, then pulled the pants up and over her knees and gave a slight jump in place the get them around her bottom. She realized that she hadn't brought any shoes, so she remained barefoot.

Asami reappeared from behind the screen, though she wasn't dressed in her usual attire. She was wearing a loose-fitting, long-sleeved red tunic that hung down past her waist, almost to her knees, and some tan-colored leggings. She'd also tied a yellow sash around her midriff. In short, she was sporting the 'casual airbender' look, and in Korra's opinion, it didn't look bad on her. Korra knew that Asami hadn't worn her usual clothes because there were simply too many articles of clothing involved, a fact that Korra had previously teased her about over the years, and that it would've been too hard to get into them in her current condition. Because of this, Korra gave her a wry smile as Asami walked over to her.

"What?" she asked Korra, though she knew perfectly well what Korra was smiling at.

"Nothing," Korra said, holding her hands up jokingly. "I just didn't know you had taken up airbending, is all."

Asami raised an eyebrow at her, echoing Korra's smile and joking tone. "Must've slipped my mind to tell you."

Just then, Tenzin poked his head around the sliding doors to see if they were dressed yet. Seeing that they were, he came in.

"So," he said, not even noticing that Asami was dressed almost like an air acolyte. "How're you both feeling?" He pointed most of this question at Asami, as Kya had just told him all about finding the drug in her and bending it out.

Asami replied first. "Much better, actually. It still hurts…a little to breathe, but I'll manage." Korra had already noticed that she didn't sound out of breath all the time, and she was glad that Asami was feeling better.

"What about you, Korra?" Tenzin asked her. What he didn't say was 'Can you walk,' as if he just assumed that she couldn't. Korra realized that she'd been in this wheelchair for months, but she was starting to wonder if anyone still had hope for her complete recovery, including herself. Despite feeling better every day, and especially now with Kya's healing, she still couldn't stand up for longer than fifteen seconds without support.

"I'm fine," was all she said. Tenzin's cheerful demeanor slightly abated at her words, but before he could say anything Lin came around the doors, followed by Kya.

Lin spoke to Korra and Asami. She had already told them that Su and the Metal Clan had arrived outside the City, and were going to wait there until nightfall.

"I suggest you two gather your things and be ready to move," she told them. "Su and her team should arrive around midnight, and from here they'll take you out of Republic City."

Korra had been wondering exactly how Su was going to smuggle them out of the City without anyone else knowing. "How are they going to sneak into the City?" she asked Lin. "By airship?"

Lin nodded. "They do have an airship waiting to rendezvous once they've picked you up, but they'll come get you in a submarine. That way, no one will ever see her coming or going."

A submarine. Korra had never been inside one, though she'd seen plenty at the Republic City docks and at Future Industries' factory with Asami.

"Thank you for all your help, Lin," Korra said. She didn't say any more than that: Lin wasn't exactly a feel-good-moment kind of person. But Korra had meant it.

"Of course," Lin said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to headquarters to rally my Metal Teams." She nodded to Tenzin and Kya, then left the healing-room.

Tenzin looked to Korra and Asami. "When Su arrives, Pema and I will come get you two," he said. He walked over to kneel down next to Korra, putting a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "Korra, I—," he began, hesitating for a moment. "I want you to know that I'm sorry for all that's happened here. Tenora is going to answer for his crimes, and especially so for his attack on you two." He looked over at Asami, who nodded her head. He turned back to Korra. "If anyone will know how to heal you, it'll be my mother. Just know that we'll be praying for your swift recovery."

Korra reached up to put her hand on Tenzin's. She had come to see him as a father-figure over the years, and she appreciated his protective instincts toward her.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Tenzin," she said. "And please, be careful if you catch Tenora. If anything happened to you, or anyone here…" She didn't need or want to finish that sentence.

"We'll be careful, Korra," he said. "I promise."

At that, Tenzin got up and left the room with Kya, and Korra and Asami made their way back to their room to prepare for their journey.

* * *

An hour later they were back in their room, and they had begun to pack all of their clothes and other necessities that they would need for an extended stay at the Southern Water Tribe. Korra didn't really have much to pack, aside from clothes and a few hygiene products.

Asami, however, had at least three times as many bags packed as Korra, and was now trying to stuff a bag of makeup into an already-full suitcase. For some reason, this amused Korra greatly, as she had finished packing fifteen minutes ago and was lying down on the empty bed. The other bed was loaded down with her and Asami's things.

She looked around the room at all of Asami's luggage. "Sheesh, are you sure you need all this?" she asked teasingly.

Asami gave up on trying to jam the little makeup bag into the suitcase, huffing and puffing from the effort. She folded her arms and looked around the room as well.

"What do you mean?" she asked Korra.

Korra sat up and chose one of Asami's bags at random, opening it to reveal its contents.

"Let's see," she said, poking around in the bag. "Assorted perfumes, shampoos, deodorant, a little box of tissues, and…oh look, more makeup."

"And?" Asami asked, not picking up on Korra's sarcasm. "I need all that stuff."

Korra smirked and closed the bag. "Just seems a bit excessive, is all."

Asami snatched the bag out of her hands, pouting her lips at Korra. "Well, we can't _all _be such obvious tomboys," she said, knowing that this would get a reaction out of her.

"I am not!" Korra replied, blushing a little.

"Hey," Asami said, laughing now. "Don't dish it if you can't take it."

Now Korra folded her arms, and mumbled under her breath. "Am not _that _big of a tomboy. I wear…_perfume_, and stuff."

Asami came over and sat next to Korra on the bed, having finally finished her packing. "Oh, don't feel so bad," she said to Korra. "Tomboy looks good on you."

"Yeah?" Korra asked.

"Yeah," Asami answered.

Asami reached up to Korra's face to put a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. The touch sent shivers of desire down Korra's spine, and she reached forward to put her own hands around the base of Asami's head, cupping it in her hands. Asami looped her arms around Korra's neck as Korra drew her in for a kiss.

Their first two kisses had been nothing like this one. Those had been dreadfully short, but in their own way they had also been magnificent. Now, as Korra pulled Asami toward her, she felt a fire begin to blaze deep within herself, as if she were feeding the flames of her desire _with_ more desire. As this deeper, more passionate kiss lasted longer and longer, Korra gradually leaned back toward the bed, and without separating from her Asami followed. Korra laid on her back and continued kissing her, running her hands through Asami's lustrous black curls as she sat above her, straddling Korra's left leg. Korra then ran her hands down Asami's sides, resting them on her hips, and Asami reached up to cup Korra's face in her hands. Korra didn't know how long they'd been kissing, and she didn't care to know.

There weren't any thoughts running through Korra's mind. There was only Asami, only this moment. There wasn't anything else in the universe. There couldn't be, because it was all right here.

They continued like this for several more minutes, each not wanting to let go of the other. Finally Asami pulled away gently, and Korra opened her eyes to look up at her. Asami was smiling, but there was more to this smile than mere happiness. Without a word, Asami repositioned herself so that she was lying next to her on the bed, and she drew herself close to Korra. Not missing a beat, Korra reached back up to cup Asami's cheek and continued kissing her. Asami rested one hand at the base of Korra's neck, in the front right above her collar bone.

Now it was Korra's turn to pull way. She didn't want to stop, but she was afraid that if they continued for much longer she would lose it. Korra suddenly understood what the term 'love-drunk' meant.

They both were lying on their sides, and Korra leaned over to rest her forehead on Asami's. The burning desire that Korra had felt in her stomach had now settled to a manageable warmth that spread throughout her body.

Korra sighed happily. For a split second, she didn't think the word 'happy' was accurate enough for how she felt right now. She also didn't want to waste time to try to come up with a better word, so she left it at that.

_'All we care about is your happiness,'_ Pema had told her. _'And if Asami makes you happy, then that's all that matters.' _And right now, Korra was very happy.

Korra realized that she had reached over to the end Asami's hair, and was now twiddling it idly between her fingers. She knew she was a touchy-feely kind of person. Korra had to be able to do something with her hands to feel comfortable, whether that be drum them on a table, or play with Asami's hair. Asami didn't seem to mind, as she herself was also idly stroking the palm of Korra's other hand with her thumb. When she wore it down like this, Asami's hair flowed magnificently down past her shoulders a little, a cascade of raven-colored silk that never seemed to smell anything but divine. Korra's own hair was down as well, and it was nearly the same length as Asami's.

Lately, she'd been thinking about cutting it, though.

They laid like this for another minute or so before Asami pulled Korra's chin up gently, kissing her again. Korra reached within her soul to reignite the flame of passion again, expecting another long round of lip locking. But it was a short kiss, and Asami pulled away to lay her head on Korra's shoulder. Korra leaned over to lay fully on her back, bringing Asami with her. She rested her own head on top of Asami's shimmering black curls.

It occurred to Korra that they hadn't said anything this whole time, and she was secretly glad. She didn't know what to say at a moment like this, though she also thought that there wasn't anything that needed to be said. Somehow, Asami silently agreed. So they laid there and said nothing for another hour, preferring instead to simply exist in each other's presence.

* * *

Korra hadn't fallen asleep, but she guessed that Asami had slipped into sleep at some point. For about thirty minutes now, she had been breathing deeply and calmly against Korra, who only continued to idly play with the ends of Asami's hair.

Asami now rose her head up from Korra's chest and looked at her. Korra lightly kissed her forehead and hugged her a little tighter for a second, and finally, after nearly two hours in each other's arms, Asami separated and sat up. She grunted a little on account of her ribs, but it wasn't as bad as before Kya's latest healing session.

"There's no clock in this room," Asami said.

Korra couldn't stop a small laugh. "No," she agreed, "there isn't."

Somehow, this was the perfect icebreaker. It effectively allowed them to speak freely again, even though the silence between them had been pleasant rather than uncomfortable.

"How long do you think we'll be gone?" Asami asked her. She had resumed stroking Korra's palm with her thumb.

Korra sat up with her. "I don't know," she replied. "I guess it depends on how fast we both recover." She looked intently at her own legs, hoping beyond hope that Katara would be able to fix them. Surely if _anyone _can, it'd be her.

Korra had also been wondering how long they'd be at the South Pole. She'd even been juggling the idea of staying at the Southern Water Tribe even after they were both fully recovered, at least for a while. Then the memory of Tenora's attack on Asami resurfaced in her mind, and she knew that she wouldn't let herself stay. Korra wanted to help bring the bloodbender to justice, especially to dish out her own brand of retribution. Lin's police still hadn't found him: he most likely had fled the City after Tenzin warded him off.

Asami followed her gaze to briefly look at her legs. She grasped Korra's hand in a reassuring gesture. "I'm so sorry, Korra." She didn't know what else to say to her blue-eyed friend.

Asami (and Korra, for that matter) also didn't quite know how to refer to the young woman sitting with her. Especially now, after their recent bout of kissing. That extended make-out session had firmly established that they were definitely no longer 'just friends,' but was Korra now Asami's girlfriend? Neither one of them had even said that word yet, but she supposed that it didn't really matter.

"Want to go outside?" Korra said to change the subject. "Take one last walk around the island before we leave?"

Asami smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Altogether, Korra and Asami had missed lunch _and _dinner, though the latter meal had only just finished when they had got up. They had gone into the kitchen to grab some fruit, then went around the dining room and had gone outside to stroll around Air Temple Island.

There had been a fair number of air acolytes training in the courtyard when they had started their walk. A few had been floating through the air in their flight-suits (Asami again pictured Korra wearing the skin-tight material), and a couple of them were zooming around on balls of air, balancing themselves on top. Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo were nowhere to be found, but they passed by Bumi trying to take flight and waved at him, causing him to fall flat on his face from about five feet off the ground. They laughed gently at his ungainly flying skills, to which the older man pouted.

They had gone to watch the bay from the Air Temple docks, and had sat on the beach together for a while. Korra had her wheelchair with her, but she got down to sit with Asami on the sand. For a long time they had sat there watching the waves crest softly against the beach, tracking the sun's progress down behind Republic City as it had slowly set. Asami had laid her head on Korra's shoulder, who put an arm around her.

After a while, they had left the beach and were now outside on the porch where Korra had talked with Pema.

The sun was now behind Republic City, and had fully disappeared behind the mountains in the distance, but it was not quite fully set. This gave an orange halo to the very tallest of these mountains, and that glow descended on the towers of the City to paint the reflective glass with muffled light. The City's own electric lights had begun to turn on one-by-one, giving the whole place a slight sparkling and flashing effect.

The sky was perhaps even more beautiful than the scenery underneath it. Behind them, the sky had darkened to near blackness from the sun's absence, and the stars had begun to shine brightly. In front of them closer to the City, the sky was a muffled orange-red as the last signs of sunlight slowly bled from the horizon, following their source down behind the earth. The entire picturesque scene was so perfectly visible from this one location, this slightly elevated porch on the side of Air Temple Island. Asami was sitting next to Korra on a bench, who had gotten out of her wheelchair to sit next to her again.

Asami sighed longingly. "I'm gonna miss the City," she said, still looking out at the glowing towers. "Despite everything that's happened, this is my home, y'know?"

"Yeah," Korra said, laying her head on Asami's shoulder this time. "Republic City is a crazy place, but there's nothing else like it."

Asami thought back on all of her adventures she'd had with Korra. They'd been through so much together is such a relatively short amount of time. Only a few weeks after meeting Korra, she'd helped her take down the Equalist Movement and had exposed her own father's betrayal. Electrocuting Hiroshi had been the hardest decision she'd ever made thus far in her life, and Asami suddenly realized that she had never regretted it. She still didn't regret taking down her own father to save her friends, but at the time she'd been a wreck afterwards. Korra had filled the void that her father had left, supplying a comforting shoulder to cry on and an attentive ear to listen with. Mako hadn't been as successful in that respect, though he had tried, and Asami still valued Mako's friendship highly.

But Korra had always been there for her, even after their rocky love-triangle with Mako. Asami and Korra had been very close even before this new phase of their relationship. If she had to be smuggled out of her own home to escape a crazy bloodbender with _anyone_, she was glad it was with Korra.

By now the entire sky was getting to be fairly dark, and the tops of the mountains behind Republic City no longer glowed with orange light.

Asami turned to look at Korra as she lifted her head away from her shoulder.

"I guess we better get some rest," Korra said, "before Su gets here."

"Yeah, you're right," Asami said. She helped Korra get back into her wheelchair, and they made their way back inside.

The living quarters were quiet, as everyone had already gone to bed, though there were a few lights still on in some of the rooms. Asami and Korra got back to their room to discover the mess that they had left: Asami's luggage was scattered all across the room.

Upon entering the room and seeing all the excess, they both began to laugh. If they had been Pema's children, they surely would have gotten a fierce scolding for this.

"Come on," Asami said. "Help me sort this all out."

They stacked all of their belongings in a neat little pile on one of the beds, with the bulk of it consisting of Asami's things. Asami found it somewhat funny (and attractive) that they had both stacked all of their luggage on this bed without making a plan first. The implication of this was that they'd share the _same _bed for their little nap.

Now that they'd gotten all the luggage settled, Korra had parked her wheelchair at the foot of the empty bed, and was now lying on her back with her hands behind her head. Asami had been making some last-minute adjustments to her various suitcases and bags, and she turned around to see Korra watching her. Asami was bent over a little, and had her back to Korra.

Asami raised an eyebrow at her. "Like what you see?" she teased.

Korra hadn't noticed that Asami had seen her peeping, and the blush that came to her cheeks was perhaps the deepest shade of red a person's face can get. Asami couldn't say exactly why, but Korra's blushing had always turned her on immediately, and especially so now.

Asami stood up and turned to face Korra. The blue-eyed Avatar's face was still glowing bright red, and with Korra's overall dark complexion, that was saying something.

She walked over to Korra and placed her hands on the edge of the bed to peer down at her. "This is the second time I've caught you staring today," Asami said, still using her teasing tone.

Korra caught on to the tease and played along. "I'm so sorry, Miss Sato," she said. "You're just _so _pretty, I can't help myself."

Asami placed one of her hands on top of Korra's. Still using her fake-scolding voice, she asked, "And what do you think we should do about this peeping problem you have?"

Apparently this question had stunned Korra, because she didn't say anything for a moment. She just laid there and looked up at Asami.

Asami continued. "_I _think you should be blindfolded, that way you won't be tempted to look." She smiled at Korra. "Does that sound fair?"

Korra regained her thinking skills, and in the same mock-teasing voice said, "If you think that'll cure me."

"Oh, I do. I'm _sure _it will," Asami said, standing back up.

She walked over to one of her suitcases and dug around in it for a moment, her hand resurfacing with a thick woolen scarf. Walking back over to Korra, who was now smiling broadly, Asami held out the scarf in her hands.

"I think this'll do the trick," she said. She leaned over and wrapped it around Korra's eyes twice, tying it securely behind her head. Korra started laughing softly, and offered no resistance to the blinding scarf. When Asami had finished blindfolding Korra, she stood back up to admire her work.

"Oh yes," she said, now assuming the voice of a healer. "I don't think you'll be having any more peeping troubles."

Korra was now giggling uncontrollably. "Th-thank you, Miss Sato. I'll be forever in your debt." Asami herself was struggling to keep a straight face, but she wanted to be silent right now.

She let Korra sit there for a minute or two in blind silence, until the smile left her face. Korra was obviously wondering what Asami was doing now, and she had started patting the bed around her to look for her.

After she figured that Korra had suffered enough, Asami leaned on the bed and took her face in her hands, planting her lips firmly on Korra's. The Water Tribe girl lost no time, and immediately accepted the embrace with her blindfold still on and had found Asami's neck with her hands. Korra wrapped her arms around Asami's neck and gently tugged her down onto the bed with her, with Asami lying on top of Korra.

_Korra's getting good at this already_, Asami thought.

After another long moment of lip-locking, Asami pulled away and noticed that Korra was still blindfolded. In the bliss of this moment she had forgotten somehow, and she laughed. Korra must've realized what she was laughing at, and she started laughing too. Asami reached around Korra's head to tug the scarf loose, and she threw it aside and began kissing her again.

There was not a single thought in Asami's head except _Korra Korra Korra_.

With one last little lip-touch, Asami pulled away again and laid next to her. She was breathing a little heavily, still mostly due to her ribcage. Mostly. Asami was sure that her faster-than-normal heartrate and flushed skin were due to her increased appetite for Korra's lips, but sure, her ribcage still hurt plenty. She nestled her head softly on Korra's chest, loving the slight up-and-down motion that came with her breathing, and Asami was also holding one of Korra's hands. Korra was playing with the ends of her hair again, which very nearly reactivated Asami's aroused state again, much like her earlier blushing had. But she was also tired, so she just laid there and snuggled against Korra.

_I don't know how she does it, _Asami thought, _but everything she does is attractive._

There was a knock at their door, just a very quiet _thump-thump-thump_, though whoever it was didn't wait for an answer before coming in.

It was Tenzin, and Asami saw that Pema and Lin were behind him. At first, Asami thought to disentangle herself from Korra to avoid any potential embarrassment. But when Korra made no move to separate, and indeed continued holding her hand and playing with her hair, Asami just laid there and looked up at them, though there was no disrespect in her gaze. Tenzin apparently sensed that he had perhaps walked in on an intimate moment, and he coughed uncomfortably for a second and looked behind him to Pema and Lin.

They both just shrugged, so Tenzin turned back to Asami and Korra.

"Su Beifong and her metalbenders have just arrived," he said, back to his usual all-business tone. "They're unloading their extra security right now, but they'll be ready to depart soon."

"Alright," Korra said. "We'll start loading our things." She still hadn't let go of Asami's hand.

Tenzin nodded, and he, Lin, and Pema turned to leave. Before walking away, though, Pema turned around and smiled at the two of them.

After they had gone, Asami helped Korra into her wheelchair and they had each grabbed as many suitcases and bags they could carry and were heading to the Air Temple docks. Korra teased her again about the excess of her luggage, saying they should've hired a crew of air acolytes to haul all of Asami's things to the Metal Clan's submarine.

When they came outside to the front pavilion of Air Temple Island, the one overlooking most of the training courtyard, they could see the submarine in question floating silently at the dock. There were several people standing around it on the shore, and Asami wondered just how big this sub really was, as only a small portion was above the surface. Dozens of metalbenders poured out from the opening at the top, and the ones that were still inside the submarine were lifting crates of supplies up for others to take into the Temple. The whole scene was bathed in darkness, though the moon reflecting off of the water and the smooth metal of the sub provided just enough light to see by.

As they approached the dock, Asami saw Tenzin, Pema, and the Beifong sisters talking together. Su noticed them and walked over to greet the two of them.

She came over and hugged them both, with Asami and Su kneeling down a little so that the hug would encompass Korra as well.

"It's been too long, you two," Su said. "But we'll have to catch up on the way out, we should probably get going as soon as you're ready."

Korra was eyeing the opening to the submarine apprehensively. Asami followed her gaze and realized what was troubling her: the door to the sub was a hatch on the top, with a ladder leading down into the rest of the boat. Wheelchairs don't make good climbing gear.

"Um," Korra said nervously, pointing at the sub. "How am I…?"

Su smiled compassionately. "Oh, don't worry about that. That wheelchair is metal, so it'll be no problem to lower you in."

"I've got more things back in our room," Asami said. "We'll need to make another trip."

"Or two," Korra mumbled. Asami ruffled her hair playfully.

Tenzin came forward to join them, along with Pema at his side. Lin had gone off to help Su's metalbenders.

Tenzin spoke up, having heard Asami. "We sent a few of Su's people to gather the rest of your things," he said. Asami nodded her appreciation. He turned to Su next, saying, "Thank you for this, Su."

Su waved it aside. "Save it Tenzin, we're burning moonlight here. I've got two fugitives to smuggle."

The airbender smiled, and he and Pema came forward to say their goodbyes to Korra and Asami.

Pema was beginning to tear up, and she apparently couldn't wait any longer. She grabbed hold of both Asami and Korra in the sort of bear-hug that only mothers are capable of.

"Please promise me you two will stay safe!" she whimpered.

"Ughh…OK, we promise," they both replied, struggling to speak against her crushing hug. Thankfully, Pema released them and stepped back next to Tenzin, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Tenzin stepped forward now, and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "I also want you to remain safe. And please, write to us when you can. If there's any update on the Tenora case, I'll send word to the Southern Water Tribe immediately." He smiled at them both in turn, though his fatherly gaze lingered more on Korra. Asami didn't mind: she knew Korra had a deep respect for Tenzin, and he basically was like a father to her.

A sudden force about waist-high slammed into Asami and Korra, and Asami felt three pairs of arms wrap themselves around her legs and Korra's neck. Looking down, she saw that it was Tenzin and Pema's three children, who all spoke at once.

"Be careful—write me a letter, too!—don't go—when will you be back?"

Pema frowned at them. "You three should be in bed!" she scolded.

Meelo turned his face up to look at Asami. When he saw that she was looking down at him, he released her legs and jumped back a pace.

He saluted Asami, saying, "Don't worry, pretty lady! _I'll_ catch that nasty bloodbender!"

Ikki and Jinora laughed at him, as did Korra and Asami.

Pema shushed her three children and led them back up to the Temple, turning to wave to Asami and Korra again. Tenzin said one last goodbye, and followed her.

The metalbenders who'd been sent to gather Asami's luggage returned single-file to unload their cargo into the submarine. "See, told ya," Korra teased.

Su spoke next. "Alright, Korra. Let's get you inside." Korra's faced paled for a second, but Su reassured her. "Just sit still, I've got you." The experienced Beifong planted her feet firmly on the ground and gestured both hands at Korra. She then made several quick and strong motions, causing Korra's chair to rise up a foot off the ground then travel smoothly through the air, coming to a stop above the entrance to the sub. Korra was slowly lowered into the ship, and Asami walked over to the dock to join her. Su went down first, then waited underneath Asami to help her ease down the ladder.

As Asami descended into the submarine, the temperature of the air around her increased, not feeling too-unlike a boiler room. The darkness of the outside sky was eliminated and replaced with the yellowish electric lights of the underwater vessel. When she reached the bottom of the ladder, Su gestured at the top to close and seal the metal hatch.

They were inside.


	12. Chapter 11: Belly of the Beast

CHAPTER XI: …BELLY OF THE BEAST

"Come on," Su said to Korra and Asami. "It's not much, but I'll give you the grand tour."

Korra's head was practically on a swivel. By the end of the tour, she definitely wished it had been: her neck was a little sore from gaping at the technology all around her. It was like visiting Zaofu all over again, as the mechanical marvel that they were riding in was just as impressive and awe-inspiring as the Metals Clan's domed city. 'Not much' didn't even come close.

Su escorted them from the entrance ladder, which was in a small separate room that was sealed by another metal doorway, into the rest of the submarine. They entered into a large machine room that had engines, turbines, boilers, motors, and all sorts of mechanical and electrical controls. There were metalbenders all around, as they were the ones that operated this massive motor room. The noise in here was astounding as well, as spouts of steam _whirred_ and _pssshhed _every few seconds, along with the rotating squeak of finely-oiled pistons.

Su pointed at the metalbenders that were overseeing the ins and outs of this room. "These people are what really powers this thing," she said to Korra and Asami, yelling to be heard over the noise. "No fuel is consumed whatsoever. They manipulate the metal components to generate steam from the surrounding seawater, and then they use that to create the rest of the power."

"That's incredible," Asami yelled. Korra looked up at Asami's face and smiled, though she didn't see it.

Korra figured that something like this submarine would mentally stimulate Asami. She was an inventor, after all. Whereas Korra was impressed by this vessel because it was so foreign to her, she knew that Asami was impressed because she actually knew what was going on. Basically, Korra wanted to flip a lever to see what it did: Asami wanted to run diagnostics on the control panel.

_She's got it all_, Korra thought. _Brains and beauty._

Su led the way through this motor room and opened another latched door at the other side. This door wasn't opened by metalbending, as it was a simple crank-wheel hatch. They walked through and Su shut the door behind them.

Thankfully, this next room wasn't nearly as loud. This room was even bigger, and was separated into two levels by a flight of stairs. From where they were standing on the top level, they could see a multitude of other doors lined up on both sides of a central hallway.

"This is the commons area," Su said, indicating the doors. "This is where we all sleep. Each room isn't much, but there's two bunks to a room and a small bathroom in each." She pointed down the flight of stairs. "There are a few rooms on the bottom level, as well as a dining area and kitchen at the front, closer to the control room." Su and Asami walked down the stairs, and when Su reached the bottom she levitated Korra's metal wheelchair to bring her down with them. Korra didn't really like being metalbended, but there really wasn't any other choice.

"You two will be staying down here, for simplicity's sake," Su said, nodding to Korra. _Stupid wheelchair, _Korra thought.

The submarine had apparently begun to leave Air Temple Island, as the entire vessel suddenly shifted a little underneath them, and the noise from the motor room increased.

Su felt the change, too. "Looks like we're underway," she said. "Come on, I'll show you to your room. I apologize, by the way. We only have one remaining room left on this level, but you're more than welcome to a room up above, Asami, if you want it."

Asami shook her head politely. "Oh no, that's alright. I can stay with Korra." She winked down at Korra when Su continued walking.

She led the way over to a door that was marked F1-08, which Korra deduced stood for Floor One, room #8. She had seen rooms on the level above that started with F2. Su opened the metal door, which was another crank-wheel hatch style, and let Korra and Asami inside.

While the rest of the sub was indeed impressive, Su's earlier description of the rooms being 'not much' was fairly accurate. The small room was about fifteen-feet long and eight-feet wide, though there was a normal knob-style door in the back right corner that led to the bathroom. There was a large floor-to-ceiling dresser against the right wall as well, with the two beds attached to the left wall in bunk-bed fashion, one above the other. The beds had white sheets and green comforters, but other than that the dominate color in the room was silvery-grey, the color of metal.

Korra wheeled herself in (there was barely enough space for her wheelchair between the bottom bunk and the dresser: she would have to roll her chair backwards to get out) and dumped the luggage she was carrying on the bottom bed. This bottom bunk was wider than the one above it, and Korra gave Asami a wry smile as she walked in next to her and inspected the beds. Since Korra couldn't climb the small ladder to get up to the upper bunk, she would obviously claim the bottom bed. Or they would share. Korra hoped for the second option.

"Well," Korra said as she looked around the room, "it's certainly…cozy?"

Su gave them a bashful little smile. "I know, it's nothing like Zaofu. But this submarine wasn't designed for long trips. You'll have to endure the claustrophobia for tonight only."

"Oh yeah," Asami said, laying down her own belongings on the floor next to the bed. "Lin said you have an airship waiting for us. Where are we going to meet them?"

Now Su smiled broadly. "In the middle of the ocean, hopefully by tomorrow afternoon," she said nonchalantly, as if submarines routinely met airships in open water.

Korra looked at Asami, who was also confused, then back at Su. "How're we going to get on the airship from the water?" Korra asked her. Airships, even the marvelous ones created by the Metal Clan or Future Industries, had to land in order to load or unload passengers.

"What, and ruin the surprise?" Su laughed. Seeing that Korra and Asami were thoroughly puzzled, she motioned for them to join her again. "Come on, you'll love the control room."

As Korra had predicted, she had to wheel herself backwards to leave the room, as there wasn't enough space for her to turn her wheelchair around. _I hate this thing_, she thought for the billionth time.

They followed Su across the central hallway between the rooms, which opened up at the end into a wide, circular area with about six metal tables. Su pointed to her right at the kitchen, which had a counter and cafeteria-style display for food, though of course there was no one cooking since it was nearly midnight.

They passed through the dining area and up another small flight of stairs, Su again bending Korra up to follow them, and through yet another metal hatch door. This one, though, had to be opened by metalbending. When they entered the control room, both girls' jaws dropped.

It wasn't a particularly big room, and while Asami had eyes only for the actual controls and various mechanisms, Korra couldn't believe the _view_. Right in front of them was a massive semicircular wall of thick glass, and they could see that the submarine was travelling on the bottom of the bay. There was also a crew of people in here, though they weren't metalbending anything. The control panels and other blinking, thrumming, and humming doo-dads and whatnots were interesting enough, Korra supposed, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the underwater world in front of her. Su was showing Asami how one particular machine could track how deep they were underwater, and the special radio antenna that was able to transmit a signal even while they were submerged, so Korra rolled herself forward to get as close as she could to the glass wall.

There was a little walkway that followed the curve of the glass, though it was about five feet from it for safety reasons. Korra parked herself right in the middle and looked straight into the bowels of the ocean in front of her, dumbstruck by the beauty and alien-ness of the ocean floor. The front of the submarine had lights that peered out into the deep, illuminating this strange world for Korra to see. The glass that this shield was made of was so clear that Korra thought she might be underwater herself, and that thought made her dizzy for a moment. The _audacity _of this glass wall astounded her: she looked all over it, trying to see if there were any cracks, nicks, or other blemishes that might signal a shattering that would instantly flood this entire vessel. How _dare _this wall hold back all that water? And yet it was beautiful.

"Amazing view, isn't it?"

Korra jumped in her seat, and turned to see that it was just one of the crewmen that were operating this submarine. He had frightened her because, for a moment, Korra had thought she was alone at the bottom of the sea. He was a rather handsome guy, not very tall with short-cropped brown hair and green eyes. The kind of green eyes that typically indicated an earthbender, which was hardly surprising considering whose submarine she was in. His eyes weren't like Asami's, which were also a shade of green, but they were nice enough. This guy also seemed pretty young, and Korra guessed that he couldn't have been two or three years older than herself.

The Metal Clan member noticed that he scared Korra, and he apologized. "Sorry," he said, "I just noticed that you were doing exactly what I did on my first ride. I stood right where you are, and just _looked_." He turned away from Korra and stared into the dark water for a moment, then held out his hand to her. "I'm Timori, by the way. Timori Roku."

Korra accepted his handshake, saying, "Korra. Nice to meet you." She looked around behind her for Asami, but she was still going gaga over some glowing screens with Su.

The metalbender continued. "It's an honor to meet you in person, Avatar Korra. I've heard a great deal about you." Comments like this always got under Korra's skin a little.

_Of course you've heard a lot about me, _she thought. _I'm the Avatar! _It wasn't a stuck-up thought, but an exasperated one. She didn't need to be reminded by every single stranger that she was famous the world-over as the Avatar.

Trying to sound nice, but horribly failing, Korra just said, "Yeah."

She saw the poor guy cringe a little as he realized he had made a mistake, but he recovered and quietly clasped his hands behind his back. _I shouldn't have been so rude, he's just trying to make small-talk, _Korra thought.

"I'm sorry," Korra said. Hoping to change the subject, she added, "So how long have you been with Su and the Metal Clan?"

The young earthbender perked up. "My whole life. My parents were actually some of the first people to join Madam Beifong when she had started building Zaofu."

Su poked her head up from the control panel she and Asami were pouring over. "Timori, I told you not to call me that. 'Su' is just fine." She bent back down to show Asami something, but Asami was now looking up at Korra and Timori.

Timori called back to Su. "Sorry, Madam—, I mean, Su." He clearly wasn't comfortable with the first-name basis that Su had always promoted among the Metal Clan, on account of his respect for the older woman.

Korra laughed softly at Timori and Su's little exchange, and the earthbender blushed a little. He turned back to Korra. "If you, uh…need anything during our journey, Avatar Korra, please don't hesitate to ask." He was rubbing his neck nervously, much like Mako used to do when Korra had first met him.

"Thank you," Korra said, "I'll remember that."

Apparently Timori hadn't thought Korra would respond, because he suddenly drew a blank. He didn't say anything for a moment, then blushed a little more.

"Oh…OK, then," he said. He made a little awkward bow, then said, "Well, um…goodbye for now, Avatar Korra." Then he turned to go back to his station without another word.

_Well that was weird_, was all Korra thought.

Su and Asami joined her on this little catwalk in front of the glass, having finished their little techno-tour.

Su put a hand on Korra's shoulder as she herself looked out into the water. "Marvelous," she said. "Simply marvelous, to see the ocean like this."

They all three stood like this for another moment, staring into the deep black water, which seemed to stare right back at them. Korra then yawned widely, suddenly remembering that it was pretty late.

Su heard her yawn. "Whew, I agree. Time for bed, I think. I'll help you back to your room."

They left the control room and went back down the stairs (another floating-wheelchair ride for Korra), crossing through the dining area and back into the long hallway with rooms on both sides.

"I sleep on the level above here," Su said, "so if you need anything, just let me know. Goodnight, you two."

Korra wheeled herself in and, leaving her wheelchair close to the bathroom, leaped up and out of the chair to land on the bottom bunk. Asami came in behind her and closed the door, then plopped down next to her. Korra was lying on her back, and reached up to twist the ends of Asami's hair between her fingers.

Asami was giving Korra a funny little smile. Korra could recognize that teasing smile from miles away.

"What?" she asked her.

Her question only broadened the smile on Asami's face.

Korra sat up now. "_What?_" she said again, nudging Asami.

Now Asami began to laugh in earnest. Korra let her have her fun for another moment before asking again.

Asami wiped a tear from her eye, having laughed so hard for a few seconds. "You don't even know how adorable you are, Korra," was all she said.

Korra just shook her head. "I'm so confused."

"So, what's his name?" Asami asked, turning to sit cross-legged toward Korra.

"Asami, _what the hell are you talking about?!_"

Which of course caused another round of laughter from Asami.

"That guy," Asami said after she recovered, "in the control room. What's his name?"

"Who, Timori?" Korra asked.

"Oooh, _Timori_," Asami said. She now grabbed Korra's hands like they were two schoolgirls gossiping about their classmates. "So what is he like?"

"Come on, Asami," Korra said, yanking her hands away. "Joke's over. What are you getting at?"

Asami rolled her eyes, but she gave up the schoolgirl-tease. "Korra, that guy was trying to flirt with you! Did you _not _see him blush when he talked to you?" She laughed again for a moment. "It's funny because you _literally _don't know how adorable you really are."

Korra's face scrunched up in thought for a moment as she recalled her brief encounter with the young metalbender. "What, Timori—? No, he's…he's just some weird guy that works for Su."

"No, he isn't Korra," Asami said. "I mean, he might be weird, but he _was _trying to flirt with you."

Korra saw that Asami was convinced, and that there was no point in arguing. She also didn't see what was so damn funny about it, even if Timori had been trying to flirt with her. "Well," she said to Asami, "he's wasting his time, then."

Asami looked down and touched one of Korra's hands. "And why is that?" she asked, as if she didn't know. She looked back up at Korra for an answer.

"Because I'm with _you_," Korra replied, looking into her eyes. "Aren't I?"

Asami smiled genuinely this time, no hint of teasing to be found. She draped her arms around Korra's neck and kissed her softly. "You really _really _don't know how adorable you are," she said to Korra after she pulled away.

"Why don't you tell me, then?" Korra asked, wrapping her own arms around Asami's midriff.

"How about I _show _you?"

* * *

Asami awoke the next morning still in Korra's arms. They had had another long kissing session last night, until both of them had tired out and fallen asleep on this bottom bunk. When she opened her eyes, Asami saw that she and Korra were facing each other, though the darker-skinned beauty next to her was still asleep.

Asami took this moment to silently watch Korra rest. She was so close to Korra that she could feel her slow and calm breathing on her cheeks, and Korra had an arm over the top of Asami's shoulders. Asami still couldn't believe how fast their relationship had changed, was _still _changing. Just a few days ago, and the countless months before that, Asami had been desperately trying to think of a way to relate her feelings for Korra _to _Korra. Now, she had fallen asleep in her arms after a long bout of kissing the night before. It made her smile just thinking about it.

Asami had never been this close to anyone before. Even before this new wonderful phase of their relationship, she and Korra had shared a very close friendship that made her other friendships pale in comparison. That isn't to say that she didn't value Mako or Bolin: she certainly did, as they were also two of her closest friends, and she would do anything for them. But the closeness between herself and Korra had been nearly immediate (not counting the rough love-triangle with Mako). In fact, if not for that awkward period in which Mako was torn between the two of them, Asami wondered if she and Korra would be where they were now. They had somehow cast aside their differences that the love-triangle had created and had bonded stronger than ever because of it.

Asami briefly wondered what Mako would think of her being with Korra like this. She knew right away that he would be supportive, though it was comical to think of the confused expression his face would undoubtedly display. The two young women that he himself had been with were now together in a romantic relationship. Surely that would shock the handsome firebender, and Asami held back a laugh as she imagined his surprised look.

As Asami thought about all of this and continued gazing at Korra, the darker girl slowly opened her eyes, blinking them a few times to get the sleepiness out of them. When she saw Asami watching her, Korra smiled.

"Good morning," Asami said softly.

Korra cleared her throat a little. "'Morning," she said, the sleepiness still coating her words.

Asami grasped Korra's hand under the sheets, though neither one of them moved to get up. It was still somewhat dark in their room, it being windowless, and Asami didn't know what time it was. The submarine suddenly lurched forward underneath them, which immediately reminded Asami that they were underwater. Korra groaned and rubbed her temples. Apparently she wasn't liking the undersea vessel.

Asami smiled. "You aren't getting seasick on me, are you?" she asked. "I thought you liked being in the water."

Korra sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, I like being _in _the water," she said. "Not under it…or inside it…or however you explain this thing." She gestured around her to indicate the submarine.

Asami laughed and sat up herself. "You're not too sick for breakfast, are you?" she asked.

"Never am," Korra replied. Asami rolled over and got out of bed, walking over to the dresser where her fresh clothes were.

She'd packed some more of those airbender tunics, as they were easy to put on and she'd found that she liked the breeziness of them, though Asami had brought her own clothes as well. She pulled off the tunic she was already wearing and bent down to pick out another one. This one was a yellowish color, the same color as the sash she tied around her middle. For some reason, airbenders preferred red, yellow, and tan-colored clothing.

When she'd pulled off her red tunic and bent down to pick the other one up, Korra whistled at her from the bed. Asami hadn't been wearing anything under the first tunic, except for a simple bra, and she smiled as she pulled the yellow tunic over her head.

"Can't a lady get some privacy?" she teased Korra.

Korra pointed at the door in the back-right corner. "Bathroom's that way," she smirked.

"Speaking of which," Asami said, "I haven't seen it yet."

She walked between the bed and the dresser to get to the bathroom door, carrying some fresh underwear and pants with her to change into. Asami gripped the knob, thankful that it wasn't a heavy crank-wheel like most other doors in the sub. She twisted the knob and opened the door, revealing the equally-simple bathroom.

It was just a small grey room with a sink, toilet, and shower. There was a mirror above the sink, and an earthbender-green shower curtain. Other than that, this bathroom was just as grey, simple, and plain as the rest of the room. Su did say that this was no luxury ship, after all. Asami certainly agreed with her, even if this submarine was technologically impressive.

She went inside and shut the bathroom door to change clothes. Asami pulled the yellow tunic back off to change bras, then replaced the tunic and did the same for her pants and underwear. After she was fully changed and had smoothed her hair down a little, she went back out into the room. She didn't think there was any reason to really gussy herself up with makeup or anything, at least not yet.

Korra had managed to change herself without getting off the bed, though the dresser really was reachable from the edge of the bed. When Asami reentered the room, Korra was in the process of pulling her pants up around her legs and bottom. Asami got a little peek at the dark lace underwear Korra had changed into, and after Korra got her pants fully on she looked up to see Asami watching her with a smile.

Korra blushed a little, which broadened Asami's smile.

"Ready?" she asked Korra, pulling on some socks and a pair of simple closed-toed slippers.

"Yeah, I'm starved," Korra said. Asami pulled her wheelchair closer to Korra so she could hop over into it, and they opened the door to their room and headed for the dining area.

There was a large metallic clock on the wall in this hallway, and Asami saw that it was still fairly early, it being only seven o' clock in the morning.

They exited the hallway and entered the dining area, which was full of lively activity. Most of the tables were already full of Metal Clan members eating breakfast, as they idly chatted over their meals. The kitchen on the right was now open, and a small line had formed at one end as the cooks dished out helpings onto their plates. Asami smelled bacon, and she glanced at Korra.

"You smell that?" she asked, knowing Korra had long grown tired of airbender food.

"Hell yes I do," Korra said. "Thank the spirits for the Metal Clan."

Asami laughed, and they walked over to queue up for breakfast. There was a stack of plates and trays at this end, and Asami handed one of each to Korra and took some for herself. They slowly walked through the cafeteria-style serving station as the line progressed, and they each held out their plates for the cooks to pile high. Two long strips of bacon, a generous helping of scrambled eggs, and a fluffy biscuit was on the menu today. Asami remembered that it'd been a _long _time since she'd had any eggs, as airbenders didn't eat those, either. She still couldn't fathom why the Air Nation forsook all meat and animal-based foods, thinking only that it was to stay light on their feet. It was a serious accomplishment that Pema still managed to whip up some delicious meals, but Asami and Korra both were excited to get some darn bacon, for once. Especially Korra.

At the end of the serving line, there was a little station that had jars of honey and various jams and jellies, as well as forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, and other assorted condiments. Asami cut her biscuit in half and buttered one half and put a layer of strawberry jelly on the other, taking a fork and knife as well. Korra drizzled some honey on top of her biscuit, also taking a fork and knife, and they looked around for somewhere to sit.

There was an empty table across the room near the back-left corner, and they made their way over to it. Asami didn't see Su Beifong anywhere in this dining area, but she did see Korra's new friend, Timori Roku, sitting at a table with some other metalbenders.

Asami sat down on one side near the end of the table, to be able to sit next to Korra. The chairs around these tables were attached to the floor to prevent any movement, since they were inside a ship, so Korra wheeled herself up to the end of the table where there were no chairs. As soon as they were settled, they both dove right in to their breakfast. Asami ate her eggs first, and they were light and delicious. She looked over to Korra, who had already performed a vanishing act on her bacon and was now working on her biscuit.

Asami saw Timori looking nervously at them from across the room. She followed his gaze, not surprised to find that it was firmly locked on Korra. When he saw Asami watching him, he blushed and looked away for a moment.

_I feel ya, Timori_, Asami thought. _Korra's definitely striking_. She thought it was cute that the metalbender had a crush on Korra. Asami also found it extremely funny that Korra still didn't believe her about him trying to flirt with her last night. Asami was aware that she herself was attractive (having been told this by many suitors, including Mako and Korra), but whereas she chose to ignore that fact about herself and just live her life, Korra actually _didn't know _how pretty she really was. Which, of course, only deepened the attractive vibe about her.

Asami whispered to Korra, still smiling at Korra's obliviousness. "How are you gonna break it to him?" she teased, because Timori suddenly found his courage, and had started walking toward them.

"Break what to who?" Korra asked, the same puzzled look from last night painting her face. Then she saw Timori walking toward their table, and she mumbled under her breath to Asami. "Oh, you think this is _sooo _funny, don't you?"

Asami bit back a laugh, because Timori was standing in front of them.

The poor metalbender's face was bright red, and he gave a slight bow to them both before addressing Korra. "Good morning, Avatar Korra. I uh…hope you slept well."

Ignoring Asami's fake-innocent stare, Korra said, "I did, thanks for asking. And you don't have to call me 'Avatar.' Just 'Korra' is fine."

"Oh," Timori said, the blush on his cheeks practically radiating. "OK, then."

He glanced at Asami, not knowing who she was. Against Korra's better judgment, she introduced the two of them. "Timori, this is Asami Sato. Asami, Timori Roku."

Timori's eyes widened a little, as he shook Asami's outstretched hand. "Sato?" he asked. "Like, the Satos that own Future Industries?"

Asami gave him her brightest and toothiest smile, just to bug Korra. But the metalbender didn't notice. "The very same," Asami replied. "Nice to meet you, Timori. Why don't you sit with us?" She pointed at an empty chair on his side of the table. Korra rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, thank you," Timori said, still blushing. He turned back to Korra and took a deep breath. "I was actually wondering, Avat—I mean, Korra. If you, uh…wanted to see the, um, observation deck?" He pointed at the ceiling above him, though Korra and Asami didn't know what he meant. Su hadn't shown them any observation deck.

"What's that?" Korra asked.

"We've surfaced since last night," Timori continued. "The outside deck is above the water. It's quite a view, if you, um…don't mind me showing you."

Korra gestured at Asami. "Sounds fun. Can Asami come, too?"

The metalbender's face, against all the odds, blushed even harder. If this continued for much longer, Asami worried that his head might explode.

_Oh, Korra,_ she thought. _Stop making it so hard for him._

"Oh!" Timori said. "I mean, yes of course. You're both welcome to—."

Asami intervened. "No, that's fine. You two go ahead."

Timori sighed audibly, and the redness in his cheeks abated slightly. Korra was glaring angrily at Asami, both confused and furious, but the metalbender didn't see it.

"But—," Korra began.

"Do you know where Su is, Timori?" Asami asked, interrupting Korra.

"Yes, Madam Beifong is in the control room," he said, pointing to the control room's entrance at the back of the dining area.

"Thank you," Asami replied. "I'll catch up with you later," she said to Korra, having finished her own breakfast.

"_Asami...!_" Korra whispered. But Asami had stood up and was walking toward the control room.

_At least spend some time with the poor guy,_ Asami thought. _Before telling him you're with me._

* * *

As Asami walked away toward the control room, Timori coughed nervously.

_Damn you, Asami, _Korra thought, though she wasn't really that mad at her. Korra didn't understand why Asami thought Timori's crush on her was so funny.

"If, um…you're ready," Timori said, "we can go up to the observation deck. If you're finished with breakfast, that is," he added quickly.

Korra swallowed her frustration at Asami. "Yeah, I'm done. Let's go."

Timori was a metalbender, obviously, so he had no trouble gently levitating Korra's wheelchair up the stairs. They left the dining hall, passed through the bottom level of rooms and up the flight of stairs. They even made their way past the motor room and the sealed door that led into the small room with the ladder, the one they had come down last night. Past all of that, there were a series of sealed metal doors that Timori bended open, one by one, and after the last one rolled aside an intense sunlight poured in, temporarily blinding Korra.

They walked out onto a metal porch that was attached to the top-back end of the submarine, and this walkway had a brass railing around it. All around them was the ocean, and Korra thought that this sub must travel pretty quickly, because she couldn't see anything other than water in every direction. It really was breathtaking to be out in open water like this.

"Wow," Korra said.

Timori breathed in the fresh air. "Yeah," he said. "I love it up here. It can get pretty clammy inside the ship, after a while."

"Yeah," Korra said. How _was _she going to break it to this poor guy? He was nice, and kind of cute if she was being honest. But she was with _Asami _right now.

"Um," she began, turning to the metalbender. "Listen, Timori…"

He interrupted her, pointing to the north. "Look, the airship is coming! They're pretty early," he said. Sure enough, slightly to the east there was an airship rapidly closing in on them. At the rate it was moving, it would arrive in maybe ten minutes. Korra could see the Metal Clan symbol emblazoned on its side. "I'll radio in to Madam Beifong," Timori continued, walking over to a sealed metal box on the wall.

He opened it, and inside there was a little microphone and speaker, as well as some buttons and knobs. He pressed a few buttons, then held the microphone up to his face. "Madam Beifong, this is Timori Roku," he said into the radio. "Sorry to bother you ma'am, but I'm up on the observation deck. The airship has arrived and is closing in."

The radio speaker crackled as Su spoke. "The airship? Already?"

"Yes, ma'am," Timori replied.

"Well, that was fast," Su said. "I'll contact them. Thank you, Timori." The other end went blank, as Su hung up. Timori hung up his microphone and shut the metal box again, walking back over to Korra.

His face reddened suddenly. "I'm sorry, Avatar Korra. What were you saying?"

Korra sighed. _Well, here goes nothing. _

"Look, you're a nice guy, Timori," she said, trying to be gentle. "But…I'm with Asami."

A moment passed in which Timori didn't understand. Then it dawned on him, and the redness in his cheeks could have started a bonfire.

"Oh," he said, his tone sounding deflated. "You mean…you and Miss Sato…?"

"Yeah," Korra said.

"I apologize, Avatar Korra," Timori rushed to say. "I didn't…I mean, I'm not judging, that's perfectly fine…I just didn't know…"

Korra waved it aside. "It's fine, Timori. Really," she said. "I should have let you know from the get-go, and I'm sorry if I led you on in any way."

Timori reached up to rub his neck nervously, apparently feeling really stupid.

Korra put a reassuring hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Timori."

He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound. They both looked around, trying to find what had caused it, before another series of thundering booms resounded through the air above them. They both looked up and gasped, horrified at what they were seeing.

The airship had exploded.


	13. Chapter 12: Interference

CHAPTER XII: INTERFERENCE

"I'll catch up with you later," Asami had told Korra, leaving her furious Avatar girlfriend with the unsuspecting metalbender. Korra had been silently fuming, Asami could tell. She knew that Korra was embarrassed that Timori had a crush on her. Which was exactly why she let the nervous metalbender take Korra up to the observation deck. If Asami was being honest with herself, she actually applauded Timori for having the guts to approach Korra like this, despite the very obvious blush painting his cheeks.

Asami's only regret was that she would have to wait to ask Korra about exactly how she broke it to him. She wasn't taking pleasure in the poor metalbender's misplaced love; however, Asami _was _getting her kicks by watching how Korra dealt with it.

It had made Asami's skin crawl with desire to hear Korra say last night 'Because I'm with _you_.' It also made her feel just a little bad for Timori. Was she being _too _mean to Korra by making her go alone with the metalbender?

_No, _Asami thought. _If anything, I'm actually being mean to Timori. Poor guy._

Asami had just entered the control room to find Su. The door to this room had to be metalbended open, so Asami had had to knock. While she had waited for someone to open it, she looked back to see Korra wheeling off with Timori. Korra turned to look up at her, and seeing that Asami was looking, she stuck her tongue out at her.

_Oh, you're gonna get it later, Korra. _Asami smiled to herself.

"Good morning, Asami," Su said as she opened the metal door, greeting her with a hug. She looked behind the Sato heiress. "Where's Korra?"

Asami pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "One of your guys is showing her around."

Su gave an exasperated sigh. "Is it Timori?"

"Uh…yeah," Asami said, dumbstruck that Su had nailed it right away. "How'd you know?"

"Oh, for spirit's sake," Su said, turning to walk back into the control room and motioning for Asami to join her. Asami walked in behind her into the darkened room, and a nearby metalbender closed the door and sealed it again.

Su continued. "That poor boy hasn't shut up about Korra since we left Zaofu." She sat down in a revolving chair at a row of glowing consoles.

Asami laughed and sat in the chair next to her. "Really? That's so cute…I think."

"More like borderline-obsessive," Su mumbled. "But who am I to judge? Let him have his little crush, I say." Su leaned forward to whisper confidentially to Asami. "I'm just wondering how _you're _dealing with it?"

Asami blinked. "Me?" she asked. Did Su know…?

Su smiled broadly. "Oh, don't try to kid me, honey," she said. "Even if I hadn't guessed it, it became pretty clear when I checked on you two early this morning. You both sleep like rocks, by the way," she added.

Asami was glad that it was dark in here because the blush came fast and hard. She knew what Su was implying: she'd seen Asami and Korra sleeping in each other's arms. It didn't really bother Asami that Su had seen that, though it was sort of embarrassing to talk about it with all the other metalbenders around them.

Asami coughed and cleared her throat nervously. "Oh, um…well…"

Su put a reassuring hand on her knee. "Asami, please. If you're nervous about _that_, then don't ever ask me about _my_ past," she said, Asami's eyes widening a little. "Besides, I think it's cute. You two are great together, I can tell."

Asami smiled, though she was still blushing a little. "Thanks, Su."

Now the Metal Clan matriarch turned back to the glowing controls. "But," Su said, "I'm guessing that you didn't come here to have your secrets revealed. What do I owe the pleasure?"

Now Asami blushed a little more, embarrassed that she was making Korra go with Timori. "I'm just here to kill some time," she said, which wasn't a complete lie.

Su didn't notice. "Oh good, maybe you can help me out here," she said. She was staring at a screen filled with numbers, symbols, and other techno-babble, and she was rubbing her chin in thought. "Our long-distance radios haven't been working all morning."

Asami frowned. "Mind if I take a look?"

"Be my guest," Su said, standing up to trade seats with Asami.

Asami sat down at the controls and peered at the screen. She recognized two strands of numbers as the radio-address of this submarine, as well as the receiving address for Republic City. But where there should have been a little dash symbol to connect the two, which indicated that the City could receive signals from the sub and vice versa, there was only blank space. Asami checked the output radius on their signal, and it could easily reach Republic City and beyond, but for some reason their radio wouldn't make the connection. When she tried sending a message to the City, their signal suddenly became distorted, as if the equipment was overheating.

"What about the intercoms within the sub?" Asami asked. "Do they still work?"

Su nodded. "Perfectly fine. Only our long-distance signal won't connect."

"Hmm," Asami hummed, trying to think. Their radio _could _transmit a signal, but it wasn't working right. Not necessarily a malfunction, though. Asami almost thought their signal was being…

Just then, a red light blinked rapidly on the intercom next to Su. It was one of the intercoms that connected the various parts of the ship, and Asami saw that this intercom was labelled [Obs. Deck]. Su picked up the small microphone and pressed the button to receive the call.

"Madam Beifong, this is Timori Roku," said the voice on the other end, crackling a little from static. "Sorry to bother you ma'am, but I'm up on the observation deck. The airship has arrived and is closing in."

Su looked flabbergasted. She held the microphone up to her face to speak into it. "The airship? Already?"

"Yes, ma'am," Timori replied from the other end.

"Well, that was fast," Su said. "I'll contact them. Thank you, Timori." She hung up the microphone and looked to Asami.

"We weren't expecting them until later this afternoon," Su said. "And now our radio doesn't work." Her face looked grave.

Asami didn't see what the problem was. "Well, our short-distance radio might be able to pick up their signal, once they get closer." She turned back to the controls. "I'll try pinging them."

Asami adjusted the radius of their output signal to short-to-medium range, hoping that that would concentrate their scattered signal long enough to contact the airship. She handed the microphone to Su, while Asami tried picking up the airship's signal.

"Zaofu Airship 1045, this is Sub37, Beifong speaking," Su said into the radio, "do you read?"

Su let go of the push-to-speak trigger on the microphone, and she and Asami, along with the rest of the metalbending crew, waited in silence to hear back from the airship.

A very long and silent moment passed, with no word from the flying ship.

"Zaofu Airship 1045, this is—"

A loud but muffled rumble shook the entire submarine, and Asami had to grab hold of the control panel in front of her to keep from falling out of her chair. Another long series of piercing rumblings and thundering booms vibrated everything in the room. Asami briefly wondered if this shaking would be enough to shatter the massive glass wall in front of them, but it held.

"What the—" Asami began.

The same red intercom light began to blink again, and Su snatched the mic back up. "What in the world was—" Su began to yell into the microphone, but she was interrupted by screaming from the other end.

"The airship!" came a muffled yell from the radio speaker. It was still Timori. Asami could barely hear him because of the immense static: it sounded like he was in a warzone.

"The airship—ploded…repeat, the airsh—exploded!"

"Korra!" Asami said, standing up now. The airship had exploded?! How?

There were still some rumbling vibrations shuddering through the submarine, but now a massive thundering caused the submarine to surge forward in the water. Asami knew what had caused it. Massive pieces of airship must be falling into the water: these rumbles and vibrations were the result of the splashes these obliterated pieces made as they fell out of the sky and into the ocean.

"Timori, get yourself and the Avatar back inside _now!_" Su yelled into the mic. The metalbending matriarch stood up. All around the control room, the other crew members were in a panic, though no one had moved yet.

Su stood up now, addressing the other metalbenders. "Everyone, try to remain calm. I need half of you in the motor room ASAP. The other half stay here with me and operate the controls, and await further orders."

Asami spoke up, heading for the door. "I'm going to get Korra," she said.

"No," Su said, grabbing her arm. "Asami, I need you here. We _need _to get this radio working, if we can. Timori will bring Korra." Asami saw that tears had begun to form in Su's eyes. Asami herself didn't want to think about all the lives that had surely been extinguished in that explosion, so instead of protesting she sat back down next to Su.

_If anything happens to Korra, _Asami vowed, _you'll be the first to pay, Timori._

* * *

The airship had _exploded_.

Korra screamed, as giant hunks of metal, cloth, and timber separated in mid-air to fall into the ocean below. The entire airship was engulfed in a massive inferno, and every few seconds another blast would thrust a wave of smoke, debris, and flame out into the air. The airship twisted horribly to the left from another, more massive explosion in its cockpit, and began to nose-dove straight for the water.

Timori ran back to the intercom, dialing furiously for the control room again. "The airship!" he yelled into it. "The airship has exploded, repeat, the airship has exploded!"

"Timori, get yourself and the Avatar back inside _now!_" Su yelled from her side of the mic. Timori didn't even hang up his own microphone, instead turning around to metalbend the series of doors open again so that they could go back inside.

_No, _Korra thought as she watched the inferno above her. She didn't want to think about how many people had been on that airship. Were _still _on that airship.

While Timori was metalbending, the airship had nearly reached the conclusion of its nose-dive. Korra sat there transfixed by the horrific scene unfolding before her, and just as Timori had opened the last door, the airship kissed the top of the waves.

Timori metalbended Korra's chair, yanking her backwards back into the submarine. If she hadn't been gripping her armrests in terror, her chair would've been pulled out from under her, but thankfully she made it inside. Timori gestured at the doors again to seal them shut, but just before they closed Korra saw the airship split in two upon contact with the water, the whole thing still covered in flames.

As the doors sealed shut, the submarine gave a dreadful lurch and knocked Timori off his feet. The waves caused by the crashing airship had reached their sub. Korra felt sick, and it wasn't from seasickness. She herself had been rolled against the wall by the sub's movement and yelped as the back of her head banged against it. Timori jumped to his feet and lifted Korra's chair up slightly in the air, not bothering to push her wheelchair normally. He rushed down the passage that lead back into the motor room, levitating Korra along behind him, and back into the living quarters and down the stairs onto the bottom level.

Timori sprinted down this hallway (still metalbending Korra in her chair behind him) and into the dining area, where a large crowd of Metal Clan crew members had already gathered. Timori put Korra's chair down gently and started to walk away, hoping to get into the control room to assist Su.

Korra grabbed his arm to stop him, not knowing what else to do. If not for this young metalbender, she'd still be stuck outside on the observation deck sitting in this damn wheelchair.

"Thank you," she said to him.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Timori's cheeks hadn't forgotten how to blush, and they did so now. He gave Korra a quick bow. "Of course. Please excuse me, Avatar Korra, I must find Madam Beifong." He turned to run towards the control room's entrance.

Korra watched him go, wondering where Asami was right now.

The other Metal Clan members that had gathered here were talking amongst themselves in frantic whispers, discussing what might have caused their airship to blow up like this.

The lights in the dining hall suddenly shut off, bathing the whole room in darkness. Everyone's voices raised a couple of notches in volume, and Korra reached out to grab the edge of a table as the submarine gave another violent lurch forward. She heard several people yell and fall as the sub moved, and the frantic whispering had turned into frantic screaming.

A dull, pulsating red light clicked on above them. Korra figured that this was some kind of emergency light, as it was also accompanied by a dim siren.

The intercom speakers on the walls crackled to life, which silenced the dim alarm siren. The pulsating light above Korra's head continued to flash slowly, though. As the voice on the intercom began to speak, Korra's entire being sank into deep despair.

* * *

Asami was sitting next to Su, still trying to get their long-distance radio to work, when the metal door to the control room opened and Timori appeared. Asami stood up when she saw him, immediately noticing that Korra wasn't with him. Timori closed the door behind him and spoke to Su.

"What can I do, ma'am?" the metalbender asked Su.

Asami spoke first. "Where's Korra?" she said. She tried to hide the threatening tone in her voice, but it didn't work very well, and it scared Timori a little.

He put his hands up apologetically, and pointed out the door. "She's in the dining hall, with the others," he said, turning back to Su to see what he could do to help.

Asami nodded at Su, who nodded back in desperation (they hadn't had any luck with the radio), and she walked to the door, waiting for a metalbender to open it for her.

Before the nearest Metal Clan member walked over, all the lights, consoles, screens, and controls shut off, and Asami was standing in total darkness. She couldn't see anything for a long moment, so she reached her arm out to steady herself against the wall. Just as she did, the whole submarine skipped through the water again, knocking several people off their feet.

_Why is this happening? _Asami thought.

Just then, one single screen glowed back to life in the control room. Asami saw that it was the screen right in front of Su and Timori: the long-distance radio. A voice crackled through the speaker, and Asami heard slight resonations from outside this room. Whoever was speaking to them was addressing the whole submarine.

"Good morning, people of Zaofu," a deep, smooth male voice said over the radio.

_No. No, no, no, no, no, _Asami thought. _How?!_

Su began to twist some of the radio knobs, trying to locate the signal. "Who the hell is this?" she said back into the mic, though there was no immediate response.

Asami sank to the floor without a word, leaning her back against the wall.

The voice continued. "I have _always _greatly admired the wondrous creations your marvelous city has produced." Su was still frantically toying with the radio, all but mashing the buttons and knobs. "But…you should not have meddled in my affairs," the voice said.

Su looked wildly around the darkened control room, and she saw Asami sitting up against the wall. "Asami?" she said, rushing over to see if she was alright.

Asami was lightly banging her head against the wall in despair. _Why, why, why? What does he want from me?_

"But I'm getting ahead of myself," the voice resumed, calm and collected as ever. "My name…is Sahno Tenora. And _you_, meddlesome citizens of Zaofu, have something I want. Or rather, some_one _I want."

Su was kneeling down next to Asami. She was checking Asami's forehead with the back of her hand, seeing if she had maybe gotten sick and fainted. Asami didn't pay any attention to her and just sat there, transfixed on Tenora's voice. Her heartbeat was thundering in her ears as she remembered what it felt like to be bloodbended: as she remembered what it looked like when Korra had been bloodbended.

"There need not be any further bloodshed this day," Tenora continued over the radio. Asami noticed that the ruckus outside in the dining hall had vanished. _Why is it so quiet out there now?_

"And I assure you that you are not safe in that platinum-shelled submarine of yours," the bloodbender said. "All I ask is that you forfeit Miss Asami Sato over to me. Think, good people of the Metal Clan. Think. Is she _really _more valuable than all of your lives?" Asami's eyes had adjusted to the darkness now. She saw Su next to her looking around the room. A few of the metalbending crew members were looking at Asami. Tenora's voice was the only thing Asami could hear, other than her own heated breathing.

Tenora spoke again after a long moment of silence. "I have now restored power to your radios, Metal Clan." As soon as he said this, Asami saw the [Connection Success] light come to life on the long-distance radio. "Please do give my offer some thought, and don't bother trying to warn Republic City. Your radio will transmit only to me…and I _eagerly _await your response."

_Korra, _was Asami's only thought.

Su stood up abruptly and shoved aside one of the crew members. He had tried to make a move toward the radio.

"Nobody move," Su growled. "This is _no _time for mutiny!" She looked at the metalbender who had tried to reach the radio and pointed at him, then indicated everyone else in the room. "If any of you harm this woman," she said, pointing at Asami, "spirits help me, I'll break you. And we are _not _surrendering her to this madman!"

Several crew members protested loudly, and one of them stepped forward. "Madam Beifong, you can't honestly put more value in _her _life than ours, or your own!" A few other metalbenders stepped up to join this one nay-sayer, shouting their agreement.

"I value _all _human life equally!" Su yelled back, furious at her crew's disobedience in the face of danger. "That even includes pieces of disloyal filth like you, unfortunately." Su looked back around the room at each crew member. She knew each and every one of their names, and it broke her heart to see them like this.

Su continued speaking a little more softly and calmly. "We are Metal Clan. If you've forgotten what that means, then I am sorry that I ever cared for you, or gave you a place at my side. But right now we have a crisis, and only together will we pull through."

Asami was still sitting on the floor, her back against the wall.

_They want to hand me over,_ she thought. _Can I blame them? _

No, Asami didn't think any less of these poor metalbenders for wanting to hand her over to Tenora. For all she knew, some of their relatives or friends had been on that airship, and now they were at the bottom of the ocean. And Tenora was pointing at them next…but with what? The crazy bloodbender obviously hadn't been on that airship, or he'd be dead. But he _had _managed to shut down (and restore) the power to their submarine. He'd even remotely reactivated their long-distance radio so that they could reply to his ultimatum. If he isn't on this submarine, then he has someone working for him who is.

Asami stood up, trying not to look at any of the crew members. She wanted to say something to them, maybe even offer to surrender herself to Tenora to save them. But Asami knew as well as they did that if she said that, it would be a hollow promise. So she turned to Su instead.

"I want out," Asami said, pointing to the door. "I want to be with Korra."

Su hesitated, looking back across her crew. Then she nodded at Timori. "Timori, take Asami to Korra," she said. Su grabbed Timori's arm as he passed her. "Escort them to their room, and guard it. No one sees, touches, or speaks to them without my say-so. Understood?"

Timori nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He unsealed and opened the door leading back into the dining hall, and Asami followed him.

* * *

"…and I _eagerly _await your response," Tenora said over the intercom speakers. Korra was feeling dizzy and slightly confused, and she held tight to the edge of a nearby table with one hand and wiped the sweat beading from her forehead with the other.

Tenora had found them, and he had ended so many Metal Clan lives by blowing up that airship, just to prove to Su and her people that he could. Just to make it abundantly clear that he _would _kill them, if they didn't hand over Asami.

Korra began to breathe a little heavier as she realized that she still didn't know where Asami was. Her heart felt like it was going to implode. She needed to find Asami.

The crowd that had gathered in the dining hall had grown very quiet after Tenora finished speaking. A few were whispering amongst themselves again, but just then Korra heard yelling from inside the control room. A few moments later the control room door opened and Timori appeared, followed by Asami.

"Asami!" Korra yelled. The lights were still off in here, and the only illumination was from the pulsating red light above them.

Asami heard her and looked around, trying to find the source of Korra's voice in the darkness. On the next slow red flash, she saw Korra and sprinted over to her, bending down to hug her around the neck.

Asami buried her face in Korra's shoulder, and Korra felt a slight wetness touch her skin.

"Korra," Asami mumbled into her shoulder, and Korra heard her sniffle a bit. Asami was crying.

She wrapped her arms around Asami's back, not wanting to let go.

Timori cleared his throat behind them. "I'm sorry, ladies," he said a little nervously, "but I must insist that we move."

Korra let Asami go to look up at Timori. "Where are we going?" she demanded.

"To our room," Asami said softly. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffled once more.

Korra couldn't fathom how Asami must feel right now. _Tenora just killed all those people, _she thought, _just to get to Asami. But why?_

Timori interrupted Korra's thoughts. "Yes, I'm to guard your room while Madam Beifong sorts this mess out." He spoke in a flat tone, and wouldn't look at Korra or Asami. Korra tried making eye contact with him, but Timori was actively avoiding her gaze.

_Is he upset that I refused his advances? _Korra thought.

Timori led them both back out of the dining hall, shutting the large door behind him. Korra wheeled herself towards their room with Asami walking next to her. When they reached the room, Asami opened it and Korra wheeled in, parking at the foot of the bottom bunk.

Timori followed them in and shut the door behind him, which Korra thought was strange at first. She had thought by 'guard their room' he had meant 'guard it from the _outside_.' Korra wanted some alone time with Asami, though she figured that having the metalbender inside with them might actually be a little more secure, so she didn't protest.

At least, not until he sealed the door shut.

"Timori!" Korra said. "What're you doing?"

The metalbender had his back to them, and Korra saw that his hands were shaking. Timori bowed his head, and he reached up to cover his face with his hands. He swayed on his feet a little, then leaned up against the door. He was crying.

Korra exchanged glances with Asami, who was sitting on the bed. Korra wheeled herself a little closer to Timori, who was still sobbing pitifully.

"Um…Timori?" Korra said, trying to comfort him. "Hey, it'll be OK. Su will come up with a plan, and we'll be—"

"NO!" he shouted at her.

Korra and Asami gasped, and Asami stood up to pull Korra away from him. Timori was still sobbing, his face completely wet from tears. He looked terrible.

"No, no, no, NO!" Timori continued, though now it seemed he was talking to himself. "He said…he _promised_…oh, Sis, why did…" he trailed off, not making any sense and mumbling to himself.

Asami had walked herself to the back of the room by the bathroom door, pulling Korra in her wheelchair with her. Timori had slid down to the floor, still sobbing and mumbling to himself. Korra looked around desperately for a way out, but they were stuck in here with the metalbender.

Suddenly Timori looked up from his sobbing to Korra and Asami, making them both jump.

"I—I—I…yes," he said. "I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…Avatar."

Korra felt Asami's hand clamp down on her shoulder.

Timori resumed his frantic speaking. "I just wanted to…and he _promised_….HE PROMISED!" he screamed at them.

Korra took a deep breath to clear the fear from her voice before she spoke. "Timori…please. What's wrong? Who promised you what?"

The metalbender suddenly ceased his sobbing. Timori perked his head up, and he looked into thin air and nodded his head, as if he heard something Korra and Asami could not. "I will…yes. I'll do it," he said. "I will." Timori stood up and faced them.

Asami's grip on Korra's shoulder tightened. Korra tried speaking to Timori again. "Please…what is it, Timori?" The metalbender continued to look at them from the other side of the room. He didn't answer Korra.

Timori extended his arms suddenly, straightening them out as far as he could by his sides. Korra saw his knees stiffen up as well, and it looked like he was having some sort of convulsion. She saw his eyes glaze over considerably, though it wasn't a foggy-white color. His eyes were a strange shade of silver, and this silver screen covered both eyeballs, whites and all. He quit shuddering and convulsing and faced them again, his eyes now completely covered in silver.

Timori smiled.

He flung his hands out toward them, making the small pieces of metal that were attached to his uniform fly out to Asami. Two metal bands attached themselves to Asami's wrists, and Timori raised his hands to lift Asami in the air. He pushed both palms at Asami, shoving her against the wall halfway up, and fused the metal around her wrists to the metal wall. Asami was tethered to the wall.

Timori was still smiling, and he slowly approached Korra. She was yelling and screaming with all her might, trying to alert someone, anyone. When Timori came close, she kicked and punched as hard as she could (which wasn't very hard at all), but the metalbender gestured at her chair, making her slide across the floor to crash up against the bathroom door. The force of the impact knocked Korra out of her chair and onto the floor, and she crawled to lean against the bathroom door. Her legs were throbbing with pain, but she was also stunned at what Timori had done.

_Asami_, Korra thought, he ears ringing a little.

The crazed metalbender was looking at Asami as she dangled from the wall, like some maniacal living statue writhing to get free. Asami kicked out at him as well, and tears were streaming down her face as she kicked and screamed.

Timori opened his mouth to speak. "Hello again, Miss Sato," he said in a smooth, deep male voice. A voice that was _not _Timori Roku's. The metalbender's head twitched once, but he recovered to look back up at Asami.

"I'm only going to ask nicely once more," Timori continued in not-Timori's-voice. "_Where. Is. The Construct?_"


	14. Chapter 13: Intervention

CHAPTER XIII: INTERVENTION

Asami had quit writhing, seeing that it was futile to struggle against the metal bands that had attached to her wrists. She couldn't get loose. Timori was standing right in front of her, his eyes still glazed over with that sick silver sheen. Where had she seen that shade of silver before, and why were the veins in Timori's forehead and neck bulging so much? Was he twitching?

She still hadn't answered him. Asami just hung there on the wall, her arms, shoulders, and back screaming in pain from being suspended like this. Her ribcage was also protesting to this cruel treatment, and Asami made no effort to halt the flood of tears that were pouring down her face. She ignored Timori's question and looked over at Korra, who had crawled over to lean against the bathroom door. Korra's eyes were wide with terror, as were Asami's.

_Korra, _she thought.

Asami still hadn't answered Timori. Or was this even Timori Roku anymore? When he'd spoken after his eyes had glazed over, he had used Sahno Tenora's deep voice, once again demanding to know where something was. Asami _still _had absolutely no idea what 'the Construct' was, what it does, or where such a thing might be.

_Is this why he's been attacking me? _Asami thought. _To find this…this 'Construct?'_

Apparently Timori had waited long enough. He flexed one hand, extending a sharp piece of metal out over his fist to form a short blade. "Time's up, Miss Sato," he growled, still somehow using Tenora's voice. "Where is it?"

Asami wanted to yell for help in the hopes that someone might assist them. She gave one more half-hearted kick towards Timori, her foot not even coming close to him. Timori smirked at her vulnerability and stepped a little closer to gloat.

Asami summoned all the hate, pain, and fury she could muster, and spat on Timori's face. She suddenly remembered the last time she had spit on someone's face while she couldn't fight back: it hadn't ended well.

Timori didn't even wipe it off. Instead, he plunged the blade on his wrist into her lower-left abdomen, in the soft spot between her ribs and hip. She gurgled out a scream of pain, trying to double over while she hung on the wall, but the way her wrists were attached prevented her from doing this.

"NO!" Asami heard Korra yell from the floor. Korra was lying on the floor now, with her back up against the bathroom door. Asami momentarily ignored the immense pain to lock eyes with Korra. Eye contact can sometimes relay a message or feeling that words cannot express, and Asami did so now with Korra. She saw Korra's eyes fill with tears as well, but something seemed different about them. Was that the light reflecting off of Korra's tears, or was Asami seeing things? Did her eyes just glow?

Timori hadn't yet pulled his blade out of Asami's body. He reached behind him to feel around in a back pocket, and produced a small glass vial with a cork stopper. With one hand, he wrenched out the stopper with his teeth and lifted the vial up to his bladed wrist to catch a small amount of the blood that was pouring from Asami's wound. He replaced the stopper and concealed the vial again in his pocket.

Timori—or Tenora, whoever he was now—looked up at Asami and grinned devilishly. He twisted the blade to the right, causing another gush of gore to surge forward. With another, final left-twist of the blade, he extracted the sharp metal from Asami, who dully yelped in pain. It hurt so much that she was beyond screaming. She could only moan pitifully now, and try to force her blood to stay within her body by an act of will.

She was losing a _lot _of blood. Asami had already lost quite a lot, and she hung her head in pain to watch it flow down her yellow airbender tunic and splash on the floor below her. Her feet were about three feet above the floor, and her arms had gone numb from being hoisted up like this. Asami tried to steady her breathing. She didn't know if Timori had punctured any vital organs or not, but she could still die from sheer blood-loss. She already felt dizzy and sick, but she grit her teeth and continued to allow her tears to cascade down her face.

_Someone,_ Asami thought. _Please…_

Timori stood in front of her, the blade on his wrist still extended and dripping with her blood. She could hear the very faint _drip-drip-drip _that her blood made when it left the point of his blade and hit the floor. For whatever reason, the constant pitter-patter of the larger flow that was spilling down her tunic wasn't as loud to Asami as was this smaller dripping. She zoned out for a moment and focused on Timori's blade, examining every last drop of her blood as it detached from the metal and fell through the air. Time seemed to slow down in that moment, and Asami spent an eternity watching a single drop of _her own blood_ as it left Timori's now-crimson blade. It rippled slightly as it completely parted from the blade, and it formed a perfect sphere of red liquid before descending to the metal floor below. As it crashed up against the floor, that single drop of blood spread out to cover as much surface area as it could. Even Asami's blood strived to achieve greatness, just like she had always done, and she watched this little drop as it attempted to fan out and cover the whole floor. But it couldn't, as it was just a little drop. Just like how _she _couldn't defend herself now. She was just one woman, tethered to the wall and slowly bleeding out while trying to control her breathing. Just like her blood, Asami was helpless to the overwhelming odds against her.

Timori's head gave another twitch, and he was still looking up at Asami. "It is truly a pity," he said softly, "that you will not cooperate. You did not have to die, Miss Sato." She was still focusing on his dripping blade, and almost all of the blood had fallen off. He continued speaking with Sahno Tenora's smooth voice. "I do not desire your death. On the contrary, I had imagined that you would assist me _willingly_. You have always been one to promote the advancement of our people, of _all _the world's people, as was your father."

Asami still hadn't looked at him, and she didn't hear whatever he said next. She was struggling to keep her eyes open and remain conscious. She had lost a _lot _of blood.

She watched as the second-to-last drop of blood pulled away from Timori's blade and fell through the air. Only one full drop remained, and it was gathering its strength at the tip of the blade. It would soon fall.

* * *

Korra had watched in terror as Timori plunged his extended blade into Asami.

"NO!" she yelled, reaching a hand out to Asami, even though Korra was well over six feet away.

She was lying on the floor up against the bathroom door, and had been there since Timori had knocked her out of her wheelchair. Korra was helpless to stop him, but something broke inside her when she saw him stab Asami. A wall of fear had burst inside Korra, though it wasn't quite ready to completely crumble.

Korra arched her back as a sudden wave of energy swept through her body. It had lasted only a split-second. It didn't hurt her; on the contrary, this energy felt peaceful and familiar.

_Was that…? No, can't be, _Korra thought.

But there it went again, and Korra felt a very familiar burst of power surge through her entire being. She knew this feeling, thought she hadn't felt it in a _long _time. Again, though, the feeling was only fragmentary, as if it needed to gather strength before fully revealing itself.

_Asami._

Korra tried to give in to this new surge of power, now that she recognized it. She wanted it to take her over. She _needed _it to take her. Asami needed it.

Korra looked back up as Timori collected a vial of Asami's blood and placed it in his back pocket. _What the hell does he need her blood for?_

As she saw Timori pull his blade out of Asami, Korra felt another wave of energy blast through her. The wall of fear and reluctance inside her was almost fully collapsed. _Nearly there, _she thought. _Just a bit more…_

Korra closed her eyes to concentrate, and she felt her tears roll down her face as she closed them. _Come on…come on, almost…_

Yet another surge of positive energy coursed through Korra, and she knew that if her eyes had been open, they would've shined brightly for a moment. She reached deep within herself to draw out this energy, to fully unleash it. But something was blocking her inward progress.

"…as was your father," Timori said to Asami. Korra glanced up to see what was happening. "His creation—whether you assist me or not—_will _change the course of history, Miss Sato."

Korra watched as Asami's eyelids began to flutter, and her pupils began to lose focus. The once-yellow tunic that Asami was wearing was drenched in dark blood, and Korra saw that the stream of Asami's blood had begun to slow down somewhat.

Korra arched her back and closed her eyes again as she lay on the floor, another new wave of energy passing through her. But she didn't let this one go, and Korra latched onto this energy with all the willpower she could produce. She needed to contain it, needed to harvest and reproduce this energy, this feeling of power. Korra relaxed her entire body as much as she could, letting the energy fill her like gas in a balloon. She surrendered her spirit, her body, and her mind to this power, hoping to make herself empty to give this energy more room to manifest inside her. Korra opened her eyes, and they were shining brightly.

_Asami…Asami…Asami…please hold on, Asami._

Korra rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself off the floor with both hands. A gust of wind lifted her up into the air, and she gestured at the metal floor beneath Timori. With a steady, quick, and powerful motion of her arms, Korra tore open a hole in the floor under him and used the metal to knock Timori off his feet. He flew backward and collided with the bunk-beds, knocking his head against the top bunk. He fell to his knees and tried to stand back up, but Korra was already coming for him.

She metalbended the tall floor-to-ceiling dresser, tearing it loose from the wall and causing it fly toward Timori. He hadn't got off his knees yet, and the dresser collided into him and shoved him up against the wall. He blasted the metal dresser away from himself, looking up just in time to see Korra flying through the room at him. Korra was being held aloft by a small localized vortex of wind, her feet not touching the ground. She grabbed him by the neck and slugged him once across the face with a fist covered in flame, and the impact sent him across the room to bang up against the main door. The one he had sealed just minutes earlier. Korra gestured at the door, then pulled her arms back down to her sides with both fists clenched and her elbows bent. The metal door unsealed itself, tearing loose from its hinges and wrapped around Timori, encasing him like a metal chrysalis.

Korra turned around to detach Asami from the wall, metalbending the bands around her wrists to force them open. Asami landed on her feet, but her knees wobbled dangerously, so Korra flew over to her and caught her. They both fell gently to the floor, Korra sitting with her back against the wall and holding Asami in her lap. Asami was still conscious, but only just.

Korra only passingly realized that she had just used her Avatar State. Seeing Asami in such pain, coupled with her own feeling of uselessness, had finally managed to break down the spiritual dam caused by Zaheer's poison. The poison was no longer present in her body, but it had left a severely deep cut on Korra's soul that had effectively shut off her connection with the elements. But none of this mattered to Korra right now. She didn't even think about these things. Only Asami existed in this moment, no one else.

Korra's eyes lost their spiritual shine but regained their tears as she looked down at Asami. As the Avatar State left her body and soul, it took with it all of the peace and serenity it had brought. Now, Korra felt only sadness and despair again as she saw Asami struggling to stay awake. She put one hand over Asami's bloody wound, hoping to stop the flow if she could. Asami gripped the hand Korra was using to cover the wound, and to Korra's amazement Asami began to stroke her hand.

Asami took in a ragged breath. "Korra…I…"

Korra gasped, not realizing that she had been holding her own breath. "Shhh, Asami. I've got you, stay with me, I've got you," she said, trying to sound brave and comforting, but Korra's heart was breaking. She rested her head on top of Asami's and stroked her raven hair with her other hand. Korra felt her tears stream down her cheeks and onto Asami's hair, and she began to gently rock back and forth, trying to keep Asami conscious. She didn't want to let Asami hear her whimpering sobs, but Korra couldn't stop them from escaping her mouth.

Korra heard lots of footsteps coming down the hall, now that the door to their room was no longer attached to the hinge. Timori wasn't struggling to get free, she noticed. She couldn't see his face, so Korra didn't know if he was knocked out or not.

Several Metal Clan members appeared at the door, all of them gasping and shouting when they saw the destroyed room. Timori was incased in what used to be the metal door, and Korra was holding Asami at the back of the room near the bathroom. Korra saw more than a few metalbenders' faces go pale when they saw the bloody mess at the back of the room. Korra and Asami were on the floor right underneath where Asami had been tethered, and there was a large bloody streak on the wall above Korra's head, as well as the small pool of congealed crimson that she was sitting on.

Their voices sounded distant to Korra, but she heard a few of them yell for Su Beifong. Korra didn't care if Su came or not. What could Su do to help Asami? Korra lifted her head off of Asami's head to look down at her. Asami was now struggling very hard to keep her eyes open. Korra placed a hand on Asami's cheek. Her skin had become very pale, and felt colder-than-normal to Korra's touch.

"Asami," Korra mumbled. She sniffled, trying to not appear weak in front of the woman she had come to love. She wanted to reassure Asami that everything was going to be OK, that it was over, Timori won't hurt her anymore. But she couldn't get the words to come out of her mouth. Instead, her broken heart had unearthed a new well of tears, and these burst from Korra's eyes and poured down her face. Asami tightened her grip on the hand Korra was using to cover her wound.

"Kor…I…" Asami whispered. Her breathing became much more ragged and short, and her hands were shaking. She managed to pull in one large gasp of air to say, "I…love you, Korra…"

"Asami, no…" Korra cried. "Please, Asami…I—I…I'll fix this." Had it all come to this? Had Korra struggled with her true feelings for Asami for months, even _years_, just to lose her after they had only recently revealed their mutual love?

_Like hell I'm losing her_.

Korra gently lifted her hand that was covering Asami's puncture wound, and she made Asami put both of her own hands over it. She then supported Asami's neck and back with one arm, placing her other arm under Asami's knees. Korra took only one deep breath, and prepared to stand.

She didn't know where she was going to go or what she was going to do, but she _had _to do something to save Asami.

Su appeared at the door with a crazy look on her face. She gasped at the sight of the metal-cocooned Timori, but she rushed in when she saw Korra holding Asami.

"No," Korra said to Su, who halted at this strange command.

Korra closed her eyes and focused, honing in on the misery and despair she felt to once again use them to fuel the Avatar State. When she opened her eyes again, she knew they were glowing.

Su gasped again as Korra stood up with a whirlwind around her. Korra looked straight up, not moving other than to secure her grip on Asami. Without moving her hands, Korra mentally manipulated the metal above her to tear a hole all the way up to the second floor. The small whirlwind holding her and Asami lifted them into the air, going up and out of their destroyed room and into the one above them. Korra blasted the door away from this room and glided out of it to head for the motor room, astonishing all the Metal Clan crew members who were working the engines. Any piece of metal that got in Korra's way, be it a sealed door or wall, was instantly warped and twisted to the side as she carried Asami toward the observation deck.

Having reached the series of sealed metal doors that led outside onto the deck, Korra closed her eyes to focus. One by one, each door tore itself loose at her mental command, and the bright sunshine of the outside world shone in on Korra holding Asami. Korra commanded her personal whirlwind to carry them out onto the observation deck, and she gently laid Asami down onto the floor. Still floating in the little tornado, Korra began to connect with the ocean surrounding them, and with fast fluid motions she summoned a giant wave to crest over the railing of the deck. She separated any impurities out of the water and formed a large bubble around Asami's body, leaving her head exposed, and Korra began to create an artificial tide inside it like Kya had done. The water surrounding Asami began to glow vibrantly. Asami's eyes were closed, but through her connection with the water Korra knew she wasn't dead. Not yet.

Korra felt her own body shudder and twitch as she continued to heal Asami. The Avatar State was trying to leave her again, but she wouldn't let it. She reinforced the spiritual choke-hold that she'd wrangled her Avatar spirit with, trying desperately to stay within the State as long as possible. This was the exact opposite of what she'd done when Zaheer had poisoned her: whereas then she'd fought to stay _out _of the Avatar State, now she struggling to stay _in_. The tranquility and power of Korra's Avatar spirit was what she needed right now, what _Asami _needed right now.

_Take me, _Korra screamed at her own soul, _take me instead. Leave me, and go into Asami. Please…help me save her._

Korra had already lost her connection with her previous lives, in her fight with Unalaq during Harmonic Convergence. But she hadn't lost Raava, at least not completely. And she was _not _going to lose Asami.

The whirlwind that had been holding Korra up in the air dissipated, dropping her to the floor of the observation deck. Her legs buckled underneath her and she fell to her knees, still moving her arms back and forth to bend the healing water around Asami. Korra felt another shudder rush through her, and she grit her teeth. She didn't know if she could keep this up for much longer. She couldn't fight to keep control of her Avatar State _and _heal Asami. Korra didn't even know if she _could _heal Asami. Korra's eyes flashed back and forth between her normal dark-blue and the glowing Avatar eyes, momentarily losing control. She scooted on her knees to get closer to Asami's prone, water-covered form, and Korra started yelling out loud in frustration and anguish.

_Please Asami…please, _Korra thought. _Spirits, leave her, take me!_

Korra opened her eyes again. She saw Asami lying on the floor next to her, still covered in glowing water, and still unconscious. But Korra's own body was now glowing as well. Every pore of her skin was emitting a radiant light, and Korra felt her spirit reach its breaking-point. She simply couldn't maintain the Avatar State any longer. With a final scream of physical and mental effort, Korra delved into the depths of her soul to detach a part of herself from Raava, to separate a small section of her Avatar spirit.

_Go...help her. Please…_

The light that had been pouring out of Korra suddenly climaxed, imploding back in on itself to cover the water surrounding Asami. Korra collapsed onto her back, finally too mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted to do anything. The light that had emanated from Korra combined with the healing energy in the water around Asami, causing the water to transcend its earlier glowing status. It now shone so brightly that it eclipsed the sun in brightness and radiance, enveloping Asami in pure light.

_Asami…Asami…I love you._

* * *

Su and her metalbenders were stunned.

She had rushed into Korra and Asami's room at one of her lieutenant's call, just to find Timori Roku encased in metal, and the two women in question up against the far wall. The wall that was covered in blood. The rest of the room was destroyed as well: the tall metal dresser had been torn free from the wall, as had the large door to the room. Not to mention the blood. When Su had tried to approach Korra, who had been holding Asami on the floor, Korra had yelled at her. Then her eyes had begun to glow.

Su knew from Lin and Tenzin that Korra hadn't entered the Avatar State, or had performed any sort of bending, for months. But she had done so today. Before Su's eyes, Korra mentally metalbended the ceiling above her, tearing it away so that she could fly up through the hole with Asami.

When Korra had done that, Su turned to her crew. "Watch him," she told them, indicating the unconscious and metal-bound Timori. Su didn't know why or how any of this had happened, but if Timori was trapped like this and Korra was _in the Avatar State_, things must be bad. She took another half-glance at the large blood stain on the far wall, taking note that whoever had lost all of this was surely in trouble right about now.

Su bolted from the room to follow Korra. The Water Tribe girl was easy to follow, as she was surrounded by a whirling tornado and was tearing any metal that got in her way.

She arrived in the motor room and looked around. The metalbending crew in here had mostly stopped working, some of them even making repairs to a few of the machines. A few of them saw Su and pointed to the hallway at the other end, and she nodded and followed their directions. The door leading out of the motor room had also been wrenched away: it was lying in a broken heap a few feet inside the next hallway. Su followed the wreckage past the entrance to the ladder-exit and arrived at the foot of the few stairs that led to the sealed doors of the observation deck. These doors were also destroyed, and Su squinted her eyes at the bright light coming from outside. She saw the silhouette of Korra kneeling down in front of a white light, arms outstretched and her head bowed.

Su sprinted up the stairs and through the ruined doorway, just as Korra herself dropped to the floor. Su couldn't see past the radiant brilliance in front of Korra, but she shielded her eyes with an arm and ran to pick up the Avatar. Just before she reached out to grab Korra, the miniature sun in front of them expanded, knocking Su off her feet. Korra was still lying on her back on the deck. The brightness of the light increased by an impossible degree, and Su kept her head down and shut her eyes to avoid being blinded. All around her, Su heard a sound like rushing wind, coupled with strange _cracks _and _zings_, as if lightning were striking nearby. She almost thought that it might actually be lightning, because she felt the hairs on her arms and neck stand straight up. Su dared not open her eyes, not just yet, but she felt an immediate soothing presence, like waking up in a warm bed on a cool autumn morning. She still felt the urgency of the situation in her heart, but she couldn't help but give in to the peaceful serenity that this new light had caused.

Behind her eyes, Su felt the brightness dissipate somewhat, so she risked a glance. Looking up over her arm, Su saw Korra lying next to Asami, and they were both on their backs with their eyes closed. _Asami _was the source of the light. No, that wasn't quite right. Asami was merely shining the brightest, but both girls were emanating the same soothing brilliance. An arc of light was trailing from Korra's chest and leaping over to Asami, forming a perfect round arc of radiant energy. This arc of energy seemed to be flowing to _and _from Korra, going back and forth between the two young women. Su had guessed right, because as she squinted to watch them, Asami's glorious aura of light slowly decreased in brightness and Korra's slowly increased, until they were both shining equally, one just as magnificent as the other. For a long while Su just watched, squinting against the sheer force of the luminous power this soothing light possessed. The arc of energy had gone away, leaving the two women to lie there, wrapped as they were in brilliant light.

Then it was gone.

* * *

Korra opened her eyes. They weren't glowing, but she saw a very faint luminescence fading in the air around her. For moment she couldn't move, and when she tried she found that her limbs were numb. Not a painful kind of numb, no, far from that. A warm and pleasurable tingling sensation had spread throughout Korra's body, but there was something else, too.

A new feeling was present inside Korra, but she couldn't make sense of what it was.

_What happened, _she wondered, still dazed from using her Avatar State. _Asami!_

Korra ignored the tingling presence and sat up, looking at Asami lying next to her on the right. The raven-haired Sato heiress was still unconscious.

"Asami!" Korra said, getting up to kneel next to her. Korra placed two fingers on Asami's neck to check her pulse, and it was very faint. But it was there.

Asami was alive, though perhaps just barely.

_Please, _Korra pleaded to herself, _whatever I just did, please make it work._

Korra found that she couldn't really remember what she'd just done to Asami. What she'd just done to _herself_. This new presence inside Korra was similar to how she felt when using the Avatar State, though it was much more watered-down than that. Her senses seemed slightly heightened, as if Korra was seeing and hearing things from somewhere else.

"Korra," Su said behind her. Korra jumped, having not known that the Metal Clan matriarch was behind her.

Su got up from the deck and came over to Korra, looping her arms under her neck in an awkward embrace, just to make sure that she was alright.

"For spirit's sake, Korra," Su said, "what was _that?_ Are you alright, is she…" she indicated Asami.

"I…don't know," Korra said. "Her pulse is there, but…" Korra choked up, not wanting to finish that sentence. Tears began to form in her eyes yet again, and Su knelt down next to her to hug Korra around her shoulders.

Korra turned her face into Su's shoulder, crying onto the older woman's metal shoulder-plates. "Su, I…Timori. H—He tried to…to…"

A few other metalbenders appeared at the door, marveling at the wreckage and at Asami's prone figure. Su released Korra to stand up, beginning to issue orders.

"Alright, I need one of you to retrieve Korra's wheelchair from her room and help her into the sick room." She pointed at two specific crew members, as well as this first one. "You two, get a stretcher from the sick-room and transport Miss Sato to there," she said, indicating Asami. "And when you get there, guard Avatar Korra and Miss Sato with your lives. The rest of you come with me…we're taking Timori to the brig."

Su nodded at her crew and they left, leaving her with Korra and the still-unconscious Asami. Su knelt next to Korra again.

"I am so sorry, Korra," she began, "about everything. I can't believe Timori—I thought I could trust him. If I had known he would…"

Korra shook her head and gasped for breath, trying to speak calmly. "It wasn't your fault, Su. Timori, he…somehow Tenora had him. His eyes…" Korra shuddered as she remembered the strange silver coating that Timori's eyes had, once he'd begun attacking them. Something about that particular shade of silver seemed familiar to Korra, but she couldn't remember where she'd seen it before.

But the fact remained: Sahno Tenora had somehow used Timori Roku to attack Korra and Asami. The word 'used' didn't even sum it up enough in Korra's opinion. 'Possessed' might be closer. Either way, Tenora had used Timori like a puppet, even able to control Timori's metalbending skills to assault Asami. The way Timori's veins had protruded…and the twitching. It made Korra shudder again just thinking about it. It also reminded her of what it felt like to be bloodbended.

But if that was the case, how had Tenora _bloodbended _Timori from outside the submarine? Sahno Tenora was not on this vessel, nor was he in the destroyed airship. So where was he?

The metalbender Su had sent to fetch Korra's wheelchair returned, and Su helped her get into it. Strangely enough, Korra didn't feel any pain in her legs, arms, or anywhere. There was only the residual euphoria from the shining radiant light, along with the new hyper-awareness she'd been feeling since waking up a few minutes ago. The other two Metal Clansmen appeared with a stretcher, and they gently laid Asami onto it and hoisted it up.

Su addressed these men. "Please escort them to the sick-room, and guard the room from outside the door until I return." She put a hand on Korra's shoulder. "I'll be there soon, Korra, then I'll stay with you two."

Korra nodded, and the metalbender behind her grasped the handles of her chair and led the way toward the sick room. The two crew members carrying Asami on the stretcher followed them, and they passed through the motor room and onto the second floor of the living area. The sick-room was at the back end of this second level, and it was a large grey room with twelve cots set up in hospital-fashion, each bed having its own curtain that can be drawn around it for privacy. Korra's metalbender escort helped her into one bed, and the two other men placed Asami on the cot next to her.

The three men gave a slight bow to Korra, then left the room. One of them spoke up before closing the door behind him. "Avatar Korra, we will be right outside the room, so please speak up if you need anything. Madam Beifong will be here shortly." He waited for Korra to nod her head in approval, then closed the door.

The cots were close enough that Korra was able to reach over and hold one of Asami's hands. Now that they were alone, Korra broke down. She had failed Asami. Just last night, Korra had fallen asleep in this beautiful woman's arms, cradling her neck as she had kissed Asami's perfect lips until she couldn't stay awake any longer. And now, not even a full day later, Asami was near death lying next to her in a separate bed. Korra grasped Asami's limp hand and cried, not even caring if the Metal Clan crew outside the door heard her or not.

Even with the Avatar State, Korra had failed.

There were intercom speakers in this sick-room, one in every corner, and they suddenly crackled to life above Korra.

_No, _she thought.

"What is your answer, people of the Metal Clan?" Tenora's ugly, deep, and smooth voice said over the radio. "I have given you long enough to consider my proposal. Will you hand over Miss Asami Sato to me, or will you choose death this day?"


	15. Chapter 14: Connection

CHAPTER XIV: CONNECTION

_'Where. Is. The Construct?' _That's what Timori had asked Asami, after hanging her up on the wall like a living trophy. _But what does it mean?_ Korra thought. _What is the Construct?_

Korra didn't know or care. But Sahno Tenora did. He'd almost killed Asami because she'd refused to disclose its location to him. He had almost _killed_ the beautiful, raven-haired, and emerald-eyed woman lying next to Korra. And he'd almost done it through Timori Roku.

Now, Tenora was demanding an answer from the Metal Clan. After he'd finished speaking over the intercom again, Korra laid her head against her pillow and shut her eyes. She felt like total crap. The soothing euphoria from the bright light was now gone, and only misery remained. Misery, confusion, and hatred. Korra had spent the last hour with her face covered in a near-constant stream of tears, and right now was no different. Bubbling up from under her lids, the tears came back, and they felt strangely hot on Korra's cheeks.

But there was something else, too. Since opening her eyes while she and Asami had been on the observation deck, Korra had felt another sense lingering on the edges of her understanding. It was like trying to reach out and grab something that's within reach, only to find that it's behind a sheet of glass. She didn't know what this feeling was, but it was _something_. Korra only half-felt her own tears sliding down her face, and she noticed a numbing pain all across her body. Above all else she felt tired. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually tired.

Korra turned her head to watch Asami sleep. Part of her wanted to shake Asami awake, just to make sure she's really alive. What had Korra done out there on the observation deck? She couldn't remember all of it. After laying Asami down onto the floor of the deck, it all became a vibrant, blazing blur in Korra's memory. She could remember struggling to stay in the Avatar State, but beyond that there was nothing. Nothing, except a bright light.

If Asami had died…if she died _now_…

"_I…love you, Korra…"_

Remembering Asami's words only served to refresh the spring of tears in Korra's eyes, and she softly whimpered and sobbed. She was still holding Asami's limp hand, once again wondering at the strange second-sense that she felt while touching Asami's hand. This other-sense was even more obvious when she joined hands with Asami. But this still didn't bother Korra. She only cared to see Asami alive and well again, no matter the cost. This new other-feeling was strange indeed, but Korra chose to ignore it. _Only _Asami mattered to her right now.

Korra straightened up in her cot when she heard loud voices outside the sick-room door. Su had sent three metalbenders to guard the sick-room while Korra and Asami rested, and Su herself hadn't shown up yet. Korra heard several people yelling over each other.

"…bullshit, _I'm _not dying for _her!_"

"…just open the door, Rory, look the other way…"

_Oh no,_ Korra thought. _They're giving up. They want to hand Asami over to Tenora_.

"…report you ALL for mutiny! Madam Beifong will—"

"Madam Beifong will do _what_, exactly?" This voice belonged to Su, and Korra sighed with relief. Surely Su will sort this all out.

Korra heard the guard check himself. "Madam Beifong, I was telling these _traitors_ how you'll lock them away for mutiny. They wanted to take Miss Sato by force!"

Korra suddenly wished she could see Su's facial expression. Apparently there was quite a crowd of dissenters, and they all began to shout their distress at the situation. Deep down, and despite Korra's love for Asami, she couldn't really blame them. These poor people had only signed up for a simple escort mission. Now, their lives were at stake, and it's only natural that they would try to defend themselves.

But there was no way in hell Korra was going to let them take Asami. Besides, Su was on her side.

The Metal Clan matriarch suddenly screamed. "WORTHLESS!" she yelled at her disobedient and shouting crew. "ALL OF YOU! After _everything _I have done for each and every one of you, _this _is how you repay that debt? With cowardice, with treason?" Su paused to let her words soak in a bit. After a long silent moment, Su continued. "I know this looks bleak. I know. And I also realize that our supplies are limited, as most of them went down with the airship. But we are not defeated, and we _will _take these two women to the South Pole."

One single aggravator spoke up. "Utter _madness_, Madam, don't you see? This…this Tenora person will kill us all!"

Korra heard several other crew members mumble and shout their agreement, but Su interrupted them. "Thanks to the bravery of Avatar Korra, we've captured Sahno Tenora's spy. Timori Roku is being held down in the brig. You all saw how he attacked them. Now, I don't know exactly how or why Timori was working with this madman, but the threat is eliminated." Several dissenters quieted down at these words, and Su continued. "Tenora's threats are hollow: I'd wager that he doesn't know we've silenced his spy. The odds are in _our _favor now."

A few more arguers began to voice their opinions, but the intercom speakers chimed in again. Once more, Sahno Tenora's voice disgraced Korra's ears.

"Thirty minutes, Metal Clan. If I don't receive an answer from you in thirty more minutes, my accomplices will destroy that little submarine that you've so _conveniently _stored yourselves in." Now, the mutinous members of the submarine crew outside the sick-room began to shout again, each one yelling a specific reason why Su should surrender Asami.

"...see! Timori wasn't alone!"

"...who _else_ does he have?"

Su yelled over them to be heard. "Please, quiet down! Yelling and screaming will solve nothing! If you so desire to argue about this, everyone follow me into the dining hall. These two women, the ones who we are here _to protect_, need their rest!"

To Korra's surprise, this actually silenced the crew. She heard a large amount of footsteps walk away down the hall, even able to hear them walk down the stairs to the level below her. The door to the sick-room opened and Korra stiffened, preparing herself for an attack.

But it was just one of the guards Su had left. He saw that he had perhaps scared Korra, and that she had heard all of that ruckus, and he gave her an apologetic bow. "Excuse the noise, Avatar Korra. We three will remain out here, in case you need anything."

Korra sighed with relief again. "Thank you," she told him. Before he closed the door, though, she spoke up. "Actually," she said, causing him to halt in place, "could you…um…move my bed closer?" Korra pointed at Asami's bed, indicating that she wanted to scoot her own cot over.

The metalbender understood. "Of course." He came inside the sick-room and walked over to Korra's side. He didn't metalbend the cot, instead preferring to gently scoot it over so that Korra and Asami's beds were connected.

When he had finished, Korra said, "Thanks."

The Metal Clan guard gave her another slight bow. "You're welcome, Avatar Korra. Please tell us if you require anything else." He stood there for a moment longer, almost shifting his weight back-and-forth between his feet. Like he wanted to say something else.

Korra saw it and gave him an inquiring look.

"I'm sorry," he said to her. "I just want you to know…please, don't be alarmed by those traitors. Madam Beifong will sort it all out, I'm sure of it." He bowed, once again, and left the room before Korra could reply.

_At least some of them aren't Tenora's puppets_, she thought bitterly. Her body gave another involuntary shudder when she recalled Timori's silver-covered eyes. She still couldn't remember where she'd seen that specific shade of silver before.

Korra looked back at Asami, who was now right next to her since their cots had been pushed together. She placed one arm around Asami's shoulders in a loose hug, laying her head on top of Asami's black-silk hair. But she didn't cry this time, even though she still felt like it. Korra reckoned that she'd used up a year's worth of tears in the past hour or so, and that her eyes physically couldn't produce any more. Korra hated crying, but lately she'd been doing a lot of it.

Korra bent her head down to lightly kiss the top of Asami's. _Please, Asami, _she thought. _Stay with me. Please…_

She laid her head back down on top of Asami's and slipped into sleep. Korra slept like the dead, so worn-out and used-up were her muscles. Her spirit, too, felt like it needed some rest, so she allowed herself to fall asleep.

* * *

Asami opened her eyes.

For some reason, she wasn't surprised to find that she and Korra had been moved to the sick-room. Which was odd, because before now Asami hadn't even known that such a room existed on this submarine. Su certainly hadn't shown it to them during their tour last night, so how did Asami know about this place?

The events of the past few hours, all the way up to this moment, came rushing back to the forefront of Asami's mind with the speed of a satomobile. She wanted to sit up and examine her surroundings, but the pain in her body (along with the weight of Korra's head) prevented her from doing so. She moaned from the immense pain in her abdomen, and the spot where Timori had stabbed her burned like a fresh brand. If her earlier breathing troubles had been difficult, due to her still somewhat broken ribs, they were nothing compared to this new pain. Asami couldn't quite connect what had happened after passing out in Korra's arms. She remembered looking up at her while Korra held her in her lap, softly rocking her back and forth. But above all, Asami remembered seeing Korra's eyes _glow_, and in that precise moment she recollected a sense of safety. Asami always felt safe when she was with Korra, but seeing her use the Avatar State was somehow comforting.

After that, her memory became hazy. Yes, Korra had entered the Avatar State, not once but _twice_, but after that…she didn't know.

_Then how did I know I was in here, in this room? _Asami thought.

It wasn't a 'knowing,' per se. But she couldn't think of any other way to describe it. Before Asami had fully opened her eyes just a moment ago, she had _known _that she was in the sick-room with Korra. She had _known _that Korra was lying next to her, even before she'd been awake.

Asami moaned in pain again, perhaps a little louder than she meant to, as there was a soft knock on the door followed by an equally soft, "Avatar Korra? Are you alright, ma'am?"

"No," Asami said before she could stop herself.

The door to the sick-room opened and one of the metalbender guards appeared. It was the same one that had pushed Korra's bed up against her own, and Asami struggled to think how she could've known that. But she did know it.

"Oh," he said, "I apologize, Miss Sato. I thought the Avatar was…well, I'm pleased to see that you're awake." He saw that Korra was now asleep, still resting her head on Asami's, and he turned to the other two guards. "Will one of you report to Madam Beifong? Tell her Miss Sato is awake now."

One of them agreed, and took off down the hallway to find Su.

"Do you need anything, Miss Sato?" the first guard asked her.

Asami tried to adjust herself on the cot (while also trying to not disturb Korra), but the movement caused her new wound to shift as well. She yelped and moaned from the instantaneous pain, and the Metal Clansman rushed in to help her. Asami grit her teeth and clenched her eyes shut, grasping at her side with one hand.

The metalbender came around her cot on Asami's left to inspect her. First, he gently lifted Korra away from her and leaned he Avatar's head onto her own pillow. Asami noticed that despite her rather loud yelping, Korra was still sound asleep.

Asami's once-yellow tunic was almost completely covered in dried blood, and the guard noticed her clutching at her new wound. She suddenly felt a surging presence from within herself, and this new feeling gathered strength from her whole body to focus in on this new hole in her flesh. It felt like her entire body was working overtime to heal this stab-wound, which only made her clutch it even harder.

The metalbender saw her holding both hands on her side, and he ran over to a nearby cupboard to fetch some supplies. He returned with a roll of gauze wrapping and medical tape, and he positioned his hands above hers.

"May I?" he asked Asami, indicating that he wanted her to remove her hands so that he could inspect her wound.

She was still gasping for breath, but she inhaled as deep as she could and released her grip. The metal guard gently pushed aside the tunic where it was torn, and Asami risked a glance to see it for herself. She wished she hadn't.

The hole was wider than it was tall, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. A thick layer of congealed fluid had hardened over the majority of the wound, forming a misshapen scab of sorts, but Asami could feel how deep the cut really was. Timori's blade must've been at least six inches in length, and had most likely punctured something important. At least, that's how bad it felt to Asami.

The metalbender flinched when he saw it, and he looked at Asami for permission before going further. She nodded her head weakly, already feeling herself losing consciousness again, and the Metal Clan guard began to roll her tunic up towards her stomach. When he had rolled it up to her waist, he paused.

"This may hurt, Miss Sato," he said softly.

_Oh really? _Asami thought bitterly. _It already hurts like hell._

"Just do it," she grunted, still clenching her teeth together.

He placed one hand underneath her, on her lower back, and he lifted her up slightly and pulled her rolled-up tunic up past her wound. He politely left her with enough tunic to cover her breasts, exposing only her blood-caked stomach. The fabric of the shirt grazed the injury just barely, but it was enough to send Asami into another whimpering spell. But the wound was now revealed. Her stomach was indeed soaked with dried blood, as was most of her front, and the hole in her flesh was so dark that it seemed to drain the color away from the rest of her skin. The actual puncture was only about as long as Asami's pinky finger, but it was deep, and Timori had twisted the blade a few times while it had been inside her.

Asami laid her head back down onto the pillow to gather her breath. She was nearly to the point of passing-out again, but this time it felt different. She had passed out on several occasions in her life, but now Asami felt something else. It was like only part of her was losing consciousness, while another part was struggling to wake back up. She didn't give it any more thought, as the pain blossoming from her stomach suddenly demanded all her attention.

After a few moments, the metalbender cleared his throat politely. "Miss Sato, I see that you're not bleeding any more, but I'd like to bandage you for now. We'll have our team of medics examine you later, but this will at least cover it up."

Still out of breath, Asami nodded. She placed her forearms underneath her, getting ready to lift herself up so that he could wrap the gauze around her midriff. She braced herself and lifted, putting most of her weight on her elbows. The Metal Clan guard quickly rolled the gauze around her several times, forming a thick, protective layer of bandaging. When he finished wrapping her and had taped it in place, Asami collapsed, turning her head in exhaustion to look at Korra.

_I'm so sorry, Korra. This is all my fault, all my fault. Tenora…only wanted me. I'm sorry, Korra._

Asami heard footsteps coming up the hallway, but she couldn't stay awake any longer.

* * *

Su arrived at the sick-room right after the metal guard had finished wrapping Asami. He was putting the gauze and tape back into the cupboard when she came in.

She saw the neither Asami nor Korra was awake. One of these men, all of whom were her lieutenants, had informed her that Asami was awake, but she certainly wasn't now.

The Metal Clansman that had wrapped Asami's wound saluted Su. "Madam," he said. "I just finished tending to Miss Sato's wound, as best as I could for now."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Su replied. "How long has she been asleep?"

The metalbender turned to look at Asami. She had fallen asleep so quickly that he hadn't even known she was out. "I suppose since just now, ma'm. She was awake just moments ago."

Su walked over to Asami's bedside. Someone had pushed Korra and Asami's cots together, most likely at the request of one of them, she guessed. If they both weren't so injured, it might have been heartwarming. They had both fallen asleep facing each other.

Su pulled another nearby cot closer so that she could sit down. She felt Asami's forehead with the back of her hand, but she wasn't warm. If anything, she was still a little cold due to the incredible amount of blood she'd lost. Su had been shocked when her lieutenant had informed her that Asami was conscious again. The fact that she was even _alive _after losing so much blood was miraculous.

_What had happened on the observation deck?_ Su thought. She would never forget that sight as long as she lived. Korra and Asami had been tethered together by some…arc of light, making them both glow as brilliantly as the sun. She still didn't know what to make of it, and Su doubted that she would ever know.

"Asami," Su whispered. If the Sato girl had only just closed her eyes, maybe she could be coaxed into staying awake a moment longer. "Asami, honey? Can you hear me?"

"Hmm, what?" Korra said from the other side of Asami.

The Water Tribe girl opened her eyes, and Su saw a flash of surprise on Korra's face. Korra quickly sat up in her bed and began to feel her chest and stomach with both hands, as if she was looking for something that wasn't there.

Su reached out and placed a calming hand on Korra's shoulder. "Korra, it's alright, you're safe," she said.

Korra was looking from her own stomach to Asami's newly-bandaged one. She wouldn't take her hand away from her side. In fact, Su noticed that Korra was clutching the exact same spot on _her _own stomach where Asami had been wounded on hers.

"Korra," Su said, "are you hurt?"

Korra looked back up at her, the wild and surprised look still on her face. But she recovered slightly, and said, "No…I mean, I don't know. I can feel…" Korra was looking at Asami's bandaged midriff. She flinched again and clutched her side, groaning in pain.

Su was puzzled. _What does she mean?_

A series of rapid knocks on the sick-room door interrupted Su's thoughts. Without waiting for an invitation, one of the three lieutenants that she'd assigned to guard this room opened the door.

"Forgive me ma'am, but we've established a connection with Tenora's radio. He demands to speak with you."

Su sighed deeply. She didn't know how they were going to resolve this dilemma. Sahno Tenora had shown up out of nowhere and destroyed their escape airship, only to point his lethality at the submarine next. Her crew was terrified…but so was she.

"I'm coming," Su told the guard. She took one more look at Korra and the sleeping Asami. Su addressed the guard again. "No matter what happens, do _not _let anyone but me in this room, is that clear?"

The other two guards heard this as well, and all three men saluted her.

"Yes, ma'am!" they said at once.

Su stood up from the connected cots, still watching Korra look around her in a dazed and confused fashion. Su walked around to the other side to kneel next to Korra, and gently gripped her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Korra," she said again. Su was ashamed at her own failure. Unwittingly or not, she had allowed one of her _own men_ to attack these two. For the life of her, Su couldn't imagine when or why Timori had ever met with this 'Sahno Tenora,' or why the young metalbender had betrayed them. She and a few of her crew had taken Timori down to the very bottom level of the submarine, where there was a small and secure prison. Up until now, Su had hoped to never use it, but this situation demanded that she did. It was a small enclosed chamber made completely out of platinum to ensure that even her own metalbenders couldn't escape. Once they had brought him into the brig, Su and some Metal Clan members had pried open the door that Korra had enclosed Timori in, but the man was already dead. It still horrified Su even now. He hadn't suffered any extreme injuries from being captured in the metal door, and the veins in his eyes had burst, coloring them a sickly red. Su had commanded the few men with her to not let anyone else know of Timori's demise, at least not yet.

Su didn't know how Timori had died, but she was sure that this Tenora devil was behind it somehow. And now this mysterious madman was threatening all of their lives if she didn't hand over Asami.

Korra didn't answer her. Instead, she looked down at Su's hand on her shoulder and placed her own hand on top. Su saw Korra slightly recoil at the touch, but she eventually managed to return the reassuring gesture, grasping Su's hand tightly.

"Korra, are you sure you're alright?" she asked her. Su pointed at the cupboards against the wall. "We have some medicine if you're in pain. It's nothing too strong, but it might help."

The Water Tribe girl was now blinking somewhat rapidly, as if she were testing out a new pair of eyeballs. Korra reached up to rub her palms into her eyes, and mumbled her response. "I don't know, Su. I feel…_different_," she said, which wasn't exactly helpful to Su. "No, I don't want any medicine. Save it for when Asami's awake."

"Korra, there's plenty of it, if you need—"

"I don't want any," Korra interrupted.

Su bowed her head and nodded. She released Korra's shoulder and walked away to the door, turning around for one last look before leaving.

_I'm sorry, Korra, _Su thought sadly. She nodded at her lieutenants and closed the door behind her.

It was time to settle things with Tenora.

* * *

Korra groaned angrily to herself after Su had left.

_What the hell is happening to me, _she thought. _What is this?_

Her senses were still acting strangely, but since waking up again when Su had entered the sick-room, they had been sharply increased. Everything had a weird echo to Korra. Not just sound, but touch, sight, even Korra's _breathing_,had a slight delay to it. Like there was another part of Korra that was receiving the sensory input an instant after she herself felt it. Su's voice had nearly driven her mad. Every word from her mouth had been processed twice by Korra's muddled brain, and she could now hear _herself _breathing as if it were someone else doing the inhaling.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Since awakening to Su's voice moments ago, Korra had felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. In the _exact same spot _where Asami had been stabbed. Now that the door was closed, Korra lifted up her shirt to inspect her stomach, rubbing it all over with her hands. Her sense of touch, when used on her own body, felt like it was only half-present, as if she weren't really touching her own skin. As a result, her fingers felt clumsily over her stomach as she tried to locate the source of this pain. But there was no wound on Korra, not a single scratch.

_Then why does it hurt so much? _Korra thought, gritting her teeth as the pain increased.

She was sitting up on her cot now, clutching her stomach and doubled over in agony. Her insides felt like they were being separated and rearranged, as if a tiny badger-mole was tunneling through her. Or, more accurately, as if a blade had pierced her. She threw herself backward to land hard onto her pillow, arching her back and yelping in pain. Korra twisted and turned on the cot while she moaned, but nothing she did would lessen the torture she was feeling.

_Why…why is this happening?_

As an involuntary reflex, Korra reached out to hold Asami's hand, hoping to find at least a little comfort there. When their hands met, white and yellow sparks travelled up Korra's arm, and she screamed out in surprise. The pain in her side intensified, very quickly reaching a climax of agony. It knocked the breath out of Korra, and she arched her back even more as the sparks gradually grew in size. White lines of electricity arced between Korra and Asami, and Korra was powerless to stop it. She couldn't let go of Asami's hand, even if she wanted to, and the lines of energy continued to flow back and forth between to two of them. It didn't hurt, not exactly, but Korra's newly sharpened senses made the pain in her stomach seem much greater than it really was.

The door to the sick-room opened, and one of the guards rushed in. "Avatar Korra, are you…" he trailed off, seeing her arching her back in pain and the glowing energy covering her arm. He ran over to Korra's bedside to assist her, but he didn't know what to do.

Korra closed her eyes tight, gritting her teeth and trying to breathe steadily. The energy flowing between her and Asami made Korra's body vibrate in place slightly, as if a small internal earthquake inside Korra was trying to shake her mental foundations loose. The wavering lines of electricity arcing between them took on a softer blue glow, filling the whole room with its radiant light. The other two metalbender guards had come in the room, too stunned to think about calling for help.

Korra felt herself losing consciousness yet again, but it wasn't just that. She felt like she was slowly rising into the air, up and away from the cot beneath her. Korra's eyes snapped open and she turned to look at Asami.

Asami was awake now, and she was calmly looking back into Korra's eyes.

_Asami._

_Korra._

Korra felt all of her pain suddenly melt away, as she and Asami, still hand-in-hand, gently ascended into the air. The little arcing bolts of blue light had ceased tracing back and forth between them, but it still covered their arms. The light was pulsating now instead of rapidly flowing, and with each gentle pulse Korra felt herself rise a little more into the air, Asami floating level with her.

Korra looked back at the three metalbenders, who were now below them on the ground. But they weren't watching Korra and Asami's ascent: they were still watching their bodies. Korra looked down and gasped, or at least she tried to. She saw herself still lying next to Asami on the connected cots, both of their eyes now shut. The now-blue pulsating light was still a yellow arcing bolt down below as it continued travelling back and forth between their arms. But Korra and Asami were up here now, floating above their own bodies and watching the entire scene unfold. Korra watched as her sleeping form continued vibrating next to Asami's body. The yellow electricity was still arcing between them, which is to say, between their _bodies_. That same light was now a light-blue as Korra held tight to Asami's hand while they floated up here, separated from everything.

Korra looked back at the real Asami, the one floating with her. _Asami?_

She looked back into Korra's blue eyes. _I'm here Korra. I'm with you._

Korra didn't know what to say or do. There were so many things she wanted to tell Asami, so many ideas and guesses and thoughts that she wanted to share with her. Korra wanted to share _everything _with Asami, but she didn't know how to do it.

The blue light coating their connected hands pulsed gently again, and Asami smiled.

_I know, Korra. You don't have to worry…_

_ But what happens now, Asami? What's happening to us down there? Did I cause this?_

Asami didn't even look back down at their bodies, preferring instead to lock eyes with Korra. The two of them were still lying unconscious down there, and the yellow bolts of energy had gathered in strength. Down below on their sleeping forms, the yellow light had nearly covered both of them now, and one metalbender had left the room to fetch some help.

_I don't know, Korra. I don't know what's happening either, but I don't think it matters now._

Both of the lights that connected them, the yellow one down below and the blue one up here with them, simultaneously expanded to almost completely envelop both of their forms. Their unconscious bodies were encased in the yellow arcing field, and their floating forms were shrouded in the soothing blue light. Korra looked back into Asami's perfect emerald eyes before the blue light covered them. There was no pain anymore. There had never been any to begin with, not here, not with Asami.

_I love you, Asami._

_ I love you, Korra._

The yellow bolts of energy disappeared as it went back into both Korra and Asami, like a giant light-vacuum had sucked it back in. Their hands were still connected in the embrace and they were back on their cots, lying on their backs.

Korra and Asami both opened their eyes at the same time. The soothing blue light expanded out of them through their eyes and mouth, shooting rays of blue energy out away from them to fill the room with power. The two remaining metalbenders were blown off their feet by this blue force, and they looked up from the ground to watch Korra and Asami arch their backs. Their eyes and mouths were glowing, and a whirlwind began to swirl around the sick-room. Korra and Asami were at the eye of this small hurricane, and the wind rotated with such force that it began to toss smaller objects around the room. The two metalbenders tried to stand up, but the force of the wind knocked them back down. They both crawled toward the door to escape, feeling ashamed to do so but not knowing what else to do. They slammed the door shut and ran to find Su Beifong.

The hurricane wasn't affecting Korra or Asami, though. Not even their hair moved in the wind, but their bed sheets and blankets were flapping furiously in the strong current. They both had their backs arched and were looking up, eyes still glowing a radiant blue. The artificial hurricane surrounding them kicked up with even more force. The metal shelves and cupboards along the walls creaked, threatening to tear loose in this localized storm, and all the other cots and small tables in the room had been thrown aside to the outer edge. Small pieces of debris were flying in circles as the current carried them through the air.

Korra's body began to emit its own white light, while Asami's radiated a darker blue. Two separate arcs of light—white from Korra and dark blue from Asami—jumped from each of their chests and met between them in the air, forming a perfect round arch. The colors mingled to form the same soothing lighter-blue that was radiating from their eyes, and Korra's white glow took on this blue shade, while Asami's darker hue softened to match Korra's. They were both glowing the same color now, Korra shining just as brightly as Asami, and vice versa.

Then the hurricane ceased, dropping several pieces of debris to the floor and causing Korra and Asami to ease down onto their backs. Their eyes stopped glowing as they shut them, but their hands never parted.

They had turned to face each other, and Korra opened her eyes again at the exact same moment as Asami. For a brief instant, Asami's eyes weren't emerald-green anymore, as they still held a trace of the lingering blue glow. But it faded, and the green hue that Korra so loved returned to her eyes.

"Asami," Korra breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Korra," Asami replied, echoing her soft tone.

It was over. Korra had Asami, even after everything that had happened. Nothing else mattered except the joy and exultation they both shared in this moment. They were here, and they were together.


	16. Chapter 15: The Human Cost

CHAPTER XV: THE HUMAN COST

A few minutes earlier, Su Beifong had nodded at her lieutenants and softly closed the sick-room door behind her. She took off at a brisk pace down the hall towards the stairs, making her way back to the control room to settle this score with Tenora.

Su was worried about both of the young women in the sick-room, and even though Asami was more physically injured than Korra, the Water Tribe girl had given Su a fright. Korra had awoken to Su's voice, but the strange part about that was she had responded when Su spoke to _Asami_. Su had also noticed Korra's stunned and surprised expression, as well as her weird and seemingly source-less pain. Korra had clutched her midriff in the same spot where Asami had been stabbed, yet she'd refused to take any medicine.

Quite frankly, Su was at a loss. _This day couldn't possibly get any worse_, she thought as she descended the stairs and entered the first-floor living quarters. _And there's not any wood to knock on, either._

She continued down this hallway and walked into the dining area, where most of her crew were currently stationed. As this was the largest room in the entire submarine (aside from the motor-room), this mess hall was also designed to act as a safe-room of sorts in the event of an emergency. And this was _definitely _an emergency. Only the absolutely essential machine-operators and technicians were still working, in either the motor- or control-rooms. Everyone else was in here, some sitting down at the tables to discuss the situation, some leaning up against the walls, and a few agitated and anxious people pacing to-and-fro.

The crew saw Su enter the dining area, and the ones that were closest to her stood up and saluted as she passed them. Su made an effort to put on her most encouraging smile and look as many of them in the eyes as possible. The Metal Clan's morale was extremely low, and had been since Tenora detonated their airship, so Su tried her hardest to appear calm and collected for her crew's sake. But even she felt the tension in the air. Tension, and anxiety. Both were so thick and palpable that you could have worn them as clothing.

Su felt an encroaching dread that told her this situation was going to reach a climax soon. One way or another, this was going to end.

She crossed the dining hall and unsealed the control-room door with her metalbending to step inside. The control-room was always somewhat dark, save for the many control panels, consoles, and other electrical equipment. All of which usually gave the room a soft yellow glow, just enough to see by. This room was kept dark for two main reasons: one, because the glass wall in front of them, from which they could see into the ocean depths, would have a significant glare on it if there were any overhead lights. And two, because if any panel, screen, or console flashed a red alert light, it could easily be seen and attended to.

And right now, there was a lot of red coming from the radio control screen.

Su approached two radio-technicians that were sitting at the chairs in front of the control screen. The technician sitting immediately in front of it stood up to let Su take his place, and she sat down.

"Any luck establishing a link with Republic City?" Su asked the radio-tech sitting next to her, a rather short and young blonde woman. Tenora had told them that their long-distance radio would no longer be able to contact anyone but _him_, though Su had hoped that her best technicians would perhaps find a way.

The woman shook her head dejectedly. "'Fraid not, ma'am," she said. The woman pointed to two strings of numbers on the screen. "Somehow our signal is being scrambled before it reaches the City."

Su inspected the numbers that the technician pointed to. Normally, their long-distance radio used a standard set of numbers as the address signal, sort of like a call-sign so that the City radio towers—or anyone else—could recognize them and determine their location, as well as pick up and reply to their signal. However, this string of numbers was now constantly alternating, which would make it impossible for any outside radio tower to recognize or connect to their signal. The other set of alternating numbers indicated that they couldn't even _send _a transmission to any outside source. Their signal was being rearranged and bounced around almost before it had even left the submarine.

Su frowned. Before now, she hadn't thought something like this was possible. _How is Tenora remotely scrambling our signal? _Su thought.

Unless, he wasn't _remotely _scrambling it. But Timori Roku was dead: Tenora didn't have anyone else on board, did he? This idea had been nagging at Su for quite some time, ever since she'd found the metal-encased Timori and a heavily-bleeding Asami.

"Have you inspected the transmission equipment in the motor room?" Su asked the blonde technician.

The other female metalbender nodded. "Yes, I went up there a few minutes ago. The operators said it was functioning normally."

"But did _you _personally check it?"

The blonde technician blushed slightly. "Oh…well, uhh…" Seeing Su's disappointed and exasperated expression, she tried to recover. "I'll go right away, Madam Beifong, and I'll report whatever I find via intercom." She stood up awkwardly and bowed slightly to Su, embarrassed that she hadn't thought to personally inspect the equipment.

Su waved her away, and the other radio technician sat in her place. He was a much older man, perhaps almost Su's age, with a husky voice and dark complexion.

Su sighed heavily, seeing that the **[INCOMING SIGNAL]** light was blinking. The radio address for this incoming signal was also scrambled: Tenora was trying to contact them. He apparently wanted to speak only to Su, as he was actually waiting for her to pick up instead of suddenly announcing himself over the entire intercom system. Exactly how he was achieving _that _was also a mystery.

Su looked to her last technician. He picked up a set of headphones so that he could also hear whatever Tenora had to say, and Su put hers on as well. The other crew members in the control-room were watching them, creating an atmosphere of anxiousness that caused the hairs on Su's neck to stand up. Their fate literally rested in her hands, as it was solely up to her whether they decided to comply with Sahno Tenora, or not. And they all knew that Su had already made her choice very clear: they were _not _going to hand over Asami Sato.

"Well," Su said to her technician, trying to ignore the ever-watchful crew around her. "Patch him through."

The male radio-tech tapped a few buttons on the control panel, then twisted the signal-receiving knob until Tenora's transmission became clear.

"Beifong speaking," was all Su said into the microphone. She kept her voice firm and resolute.

"_Wonderful_," Tenora said into her ears. "I assure you, Madam Beifong, that it is my extreme pleasure to speak with you." His voice remained smooth as ever, despite the slight crackle of static that just came with using a radio. He was all-business, though Su picked up a hint of gloating in his voice. And why not? He'd already destroyed their airship.

Su's patience was thinning, very rapidly, but she clamped down on her rage for the time being. Only she and the technician could hear him, but that didn't stop the rest of the crew from listening intently.

Tenora continued. "My only regret is that we should speak under such circumstances. But, as I've said before, you should _not _have concerned yourself in this matter, so the blame isn't entirely on me, you understand."

_Oh, so you want to play that game, eh? _Su thought. She was no stranger to a little intelligent-trash-talking. Being the matriarch of a whole city had taught Su how to be tactful, yet insulting.

"I must have missed the part where you had explicitly forbidden me from using my _own_ airship, no matter the purposes," she replied. "I was also unaware of your apparent claim on Miss Sato. You're quite welcome to come aboard and fetch her yourself."

To Su's horror, Tenora actually laughed. It was a deep bass rumble, blurred and skewed by the radio-static. "And place myself inside that metal contraption of yours?" he mocked. "No, I'm afraid a submarine is much too…_confined_, for my tastes." His voice darkened, coloring his tone with a more obviously-threatening shade. "They are easily turned into tombs."

Su had had enough. "Let's cut the nonsense. You want Asami Sato? Come get her. You can pry her from my dead hands after you've killed me. We are the Metal Clan, and we do _not _bow down to one madman's demands."

The ensuing silence seemed to drag on for eternity. A few crew members had gone pale at Su's indignant response, though most of them remained still. The technician sitting at her right was serene as ever, and he continued monitoring the control screen to make sure their connection to Tenora's radio remained intact.

After another long moment of silence, the smooth deep voice of Sahno Tenora spoke again. "Oh, my dear, _dear _Madam Beifong," he said, now in full gloating-mode. "But I am not merely one madman, no, that would be much too inefficient. Surely you can sympathize when I say that _one _person is hardly enough to accomplish anything. No matter the cause, a singular leader is only enough to get the ball rolling, so to speak. But a nation…a _nation _can truly achieve greatness."

Su swallowed hard, not really knowing where he was going with this, and also not liking it one bit.

"No," Tenora affirmed, "_We_ are _many_. And _we _aren't here to negotiate, I'm afraid."

"And neither is Timori Roku," Su spat into her mic. She was struggling to control her temper, which was unfortunately a very small one, thanks to her mother's genes. "He's dead."

A few crew members gasped at this, as Su hadn't yet revealed to everyone that Timori was in fact deceased. It was a very poor ace-in-the-hole in her leverage kit against Tenora, but it was all she had.

Tenora didn't miss a beat. "Of course he is," he laughed, "I ended his life myself."

Su stood up and punched the wall behind her, though she had to contain her bending strength or she would've left a large dent in the metal. Sahno resumed speaking.

"I do hope you didn't think that poor boy was my _only_ accomplice in this matter."

Su turned to look at the radio-tech, who was still sitting. Most of the crew in the room had gone silent again, and a few were looking around at the people standing next to them. Su inspected each of their faces, trying to determine which of them was going to betray her. She wanted to believe that none of them would. But Timori had also betrayed her, and he would've been next to the _last _person Su would have suspected. Despite his duplicity, Su had shed a few tears for the young man when they had released him from the metal shell.

She only hoped that he had died quickly.

Tenora issued a _tsk-tsk _sound over the radio. "Come now, my good madam, you insult me. You thought I would place the fate of my plans solely in one young metalbender?" He let out another sharp bout of gloating laughter. When he resumed speaking, his tone sharpened back into threatening. "You people of Zaofu have become out of touch with the rest of the world. But no matter, you have refused my very generous offer, and so I _will _uphold my end of the bargain. Goodbye, Madam Beifong."

Su yanked her headphones off and slammed them to the floor in anger, just as a sharp shriek echoed from outside the control-room.

* * *

The blonde radio-technician sealed the control-room door behind her, and she descended the few steps back into the dining hall. She couldn't believe that she had actually forgotten to inspect the radio equipment herself. It hadn't seemed ludicrous at the time, because the motor-room operator had confidently told her that the machine was working perfectly. Who was she to say otherwise?

Now, though, she was having second thoughts. As she made her way through the dining hall and the living quarters, then up the stairs to the second level and into the motor-room, she realized how crucial her mistake was. They had already been betrayed by Timori Roku (whom she had secretly admired, though now she would never reveal that secret), so it wasn't entirely impossible that there were other double-agents on board. With this in mind, she prepared herself for the worst. If she did find any obvious trace of sabotage in the signal transmitter, she would have to restrain the operator. Her own metalbending wasn't inconsiderable, but she also didn't want to hurt her fellow Metal Clansmen.

_I'm sure he's right,_ she reassured herself. _He can't be working for Tenora._

And if he was, well…she was about to find out.

The short blonde radio-tech entered the loud and steamy confines of the motor-room. There were almost two dozen workers in here, each one tending to a specific machine. The boilers were directly across from her against the far wall. She knew that's where the water went to create the steam that powered the rest of the submarine, as wave after wave of excess water vapor spilled from the grills of the giant boilers, filling the room with a slight haze and increasing the temperature rapidly. She had already begun to sweat, and she loosened the clasp at her throat slightly.

To the left, and also against the wall, was the radio signal transmitter. It was being manned by the same operator that she had questioned earlier. She didn't know his name, which embarrassed her slightly, although she didn't think that he knew her name, either. She strolled over towards him, and he had his back to her as he continued manipulating the various controls.

_He is rather handsome,_ she thought as she walked toward him. But that thought made her think of Timori again, and she felt despair and sadness creep back into the pit of her stomach. She wondered why she had never confronted Timori with her feelings, as they had spent many hours together on their journey to Republic City, idly chatting the nights away, as well as working in very close proximity. He was—or had been—a very sweet young man, always considerate towards her. Perhaps a bit too submissive, but she liked that about him. She herself was rather shy, so it had been nice to be near someone like her. Admittedly, she had fallen for the young metalbender pretty hard, though she felt very silly for harboring a crush like that. She was a grown woman, for spirit's sake. _Love never ages_, she thought bitterly. _And it can bite you just as hard now as it did in adolescence._

Now, she also wondered if she could've dissuaded Timori from his dark plans. Somehow, she was certain that the poor young man had been just a pawn in a much bigger game, that he had been used and manipulated. The Timori that she knew, the one that she may have even wanted to _love_, would never have willingly betrayed the Metal Clan. But he had done just that, and it almost broke her heart. Now she would never know 'what if,' what her life might have been like with Timori Roku.

_Oh Timori, _she thought, _I'm so sorry. _

The blonde metalbender shook her head to clear away the heartbreak. She walked around to the left of the machine operator and cleared her throat to announce her presence, though that did little good in this loud area, and instead she tapped the man's shoulder.

He turned around to look down at her, his chin almost touching his chest. She was somewhat short in stature, but this man was also uncommonly tall. He wore steel-toed boots and an off-white sleeveless shirt with dark baggy pants, as well as a green bandana tied around his forehead. All of which was typical for the workers in the motor-room: it _was _rather stifling in here. Both his shirt and bandana were soaked in sweat, and he apparently hadn't shaved in a while. But overall he was well-built and handsome, if a little rough around the edges.

"Eh?" he grunted at her. "Whatcha want now?"

She had to shout over the noise in the room. "Madam Beifong requested I take another look at the transmitter," she yelled. "Just to be sure."

The tall operator took a small step toward her. "Look," he yelled back, "I already told ya, it's workin' fine. I've been standin' here since three ina mornin', so I don't need you breathin' down my neck, see?" He waved her away, like he was shooing a bunch of naughty kids. "If anythin' comes up, I'll be sure t'let Ma'am Beifong know."

She might have gone along with it, if he hadn't treated her like a child. She was fairly certain that _she _was older than him, anyhow.

"I'm afraid, sir, that I must insist," she said, still shouting over the enormous noise. "Now please, let me just take a brief look, then I'll leave you be." She stood her ground to assert herself, placing one hand on her hip in an I-don't-have-time-for-this manner.

She saw the operators face pale a bit, and he looked down at the small console he was standing at.

"L-look," he mumbled, pointing at the screen. "It's all fine, see? Go on, look."

She stepped forward to inspect the small green control screen. Everything did appear to be in order. The screen showed their radio's signal address, back to its normal constant string of numbers, as well as the little arrow symbol indicating that they were able to send long-distance signals. But neither of those were what the radio in the control-room showed.

She leaned back after looking at the screen. "Yes, I see," she shouted. "But the fact remains that our radio _isn't _performing like this screen indicates. Please." She motioned one hand for him to move away.

The operator went stark white, but he finally sidestepped to allow her to inspect the inner workings of the machine. Being an experienced technician, she was intimately familiar with how these radio transmitters worked, and she went down on one knee to open the little compartment.

She stuck her head inside to examine the many wires and gears, fishing out a small handheld flashlight from her pocket. She clicked on the light and glossed over the various wire connections, looking for anything out of the ordinary, though she didn't have any luck. It was as the operator had said: everything was normal.

_But then why isn't it working? _

Just as she was about to call it quits and return to the control room, she noticed a small box above her head attached to the underside of the control panel. If you poked your head in for a quick look, you'd miss it, as it was fastened to the top of this compartment and hidden by a mass of wires. It was a small black box, no bigger than her fist, and it had a little red light that blinked constantly.

Curious at what it was, and still not expecting subterfuge, she said, "Hey, what's—"

The operator grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her back, causing her to bang her head on the top of the compartment. He threw her down to the floor and kicked her twice, once in the ribs and once across her face. She spat up blood as she yelped and screamed in pain, and from the corner of her vision she saw several other workers rush to her aid. She was still lying on the floor while the operator descended on her again with his feet, planting another firm steel-toed kick in her side. She felt bones crack, followed by another involuntary surge of blood through her mouth.

"…the _hell_, man…" one worker yelled, and he grabbed the operator by the neck in a choke-hold to drag him away from her. But the operator had become enraged, and he lashed out at anyone who got near him. He clawed the other worker's arms until he released him, then turned on his heel and fished a knife from his pocket. The operator brandished his blade, not waiting for a response. He sliced at the worker who'd restrained him, though that man had backed clear away from him, as had most everyone else. He was in a crazed state, like a cornered animal.

One other worker quickly picked the blonde-and-bleeding technician up from the floor to drag her to safety. She was sure that the operator had broken some of her ribs, and maybe a cheekbone, as tears streamed hot and fast down her face. Perhaps one of her lungs had been punctured as well, as she was having tremendous trouble breathing, though that may have been due to the blood that bubbled up from her mouth. She put her arm around this helpful worker's shoulders, and he gently looped an arm around her.

As this man led her towards the door, she looked up at the operator, still brandishing his knife at the others. She gasped when she saw the man.

The operator's skin had paled to a sickly white color, almost paper-white, and she noticed with equal terror that the veins in his neck and face were bulging considerably. Those same veins had also darkened, as if black ink was coursing through the man instead of blood. But what terrified her the most about his sudden transformation were his eyes.

The operator's eyes had glazed over with a silver coating.

His silver eyes chilled the technician to her core. There were no pupils or whites anymore in his eyes, only silver orbs. Both eyeballs were covered in the sickly shade, as if he had dipped them in molten silver. Since there were no visible pupils, or anything else, it seemed like he could see right through her soul when he looked at her, which he did now. The operator had turned back around to watch the other worker drag her towards the door, and he smiled at her.

The look sent shivers of fear down her spine, and she began to squirm to break free of the helpful worker's grasp. She wanted only to _run_. To get as far away as possible from those _eyes_.

And the operator wasn't alone.

Nine other workers had now stepped up to the operator's side, all of them just as pale as him. Same darkened, bulging veins…and same silver eyes. She also saw several of them twitch occasionally, just a slight movement of their heads. But like their skin, veins and eyes, they all twitched at the _same _time and in the _same _manner. In fact, in her dazed and bleeding condition, they all seemed to be the same person staring at her and the rest of the non-transformed workers.

One of the motor-room workers on her side of the room held a length of metal pipe in his hands menacingly. He yelled at the corrupted silver-eyed men who had assembled on the other side.

"_Freaks_," he screamed, "Stay back or we'll—"

One of the silver-eyes threw something at him, and with horror and fear the technician saw a blade protruding from the worker's throat an instant later. Several of the non-corrupted workers screamed in fear. She also wanted to scream, but her lungs wouldn't allow it, and neither would her throat. She tasted nothing but blood, the sweet-and-sour tang of wet metal overwhelming her senses. The silver-eyed worker drew his hand back, and the metal knife flew from the man's throat and glided back through the air to land in his hand. Then he spoke.

Which is to say, they _all _spoke. All of the silver-eyed monsters, all at once, and all with the same deep and smooth voice.

"_You're matriarch has betrayed you, Metal Clan. Your lives are nothing to her, but I can give you worth. I can give you freedom. I can give you equality_."

The blonde technician felt the last scraps of hope abandon her, like the very last warm breeze before the chill of winter sets in. These silver-eyed men were all speaking at once, in _Sahno Tenora's voice_. All ten of them. There were only about twelve unchanged workers on her side, not including the dead man on the floor bleeding from his throat, and she was in no shape to fight.

But damned if she wouldn't try.

Somehow finding the courage to stand, she shrugged off the helpful worker's arms and took two powerful steps forward. She thrust her hands and arms at the feet of the silver-eyed men to ripple the metal flooring beneath them, causing half of them to lose their footing. While they stumbled about, she ripped two large pieces of metal from the floor and instantly shaped them into long sharp javelins, and hurled these at the corrupted workers. Each metal spear found a target, impaling two separate men through their chests. To keep her momentum going, and before her injured body protested too much to this exertion, she mentally gripped the two javelins with her metalbending and forced the two impaled men to collide with the rest of the silver-eyed workers. Her legs began to shake terribly, but the same helpful worker from before came forward to catch her before she collapsed.

She could've caused much more damage had she not been injured, but it was a start. The other non-transformed metalbenders yelled a battle-cry and rushed forward, some brandishing lengths of pipe, some using their bending to do battle with the silver-eyes.

The worker who was helping her to stand made his way to the door to get her to safety. They arrived at the door, and he unsealed it with his bending and prepared to help her through. But he never made it.

The blonde technician screamed as the worker's chest suddenly exploded, sprinkling her face with droplets of blood and painting the wall in front of them crimson. He dropped to the floor, as did she since he had been supporting her. She rolled away from the bleeding man and looked up to see what had caused it.

The silver-eyed operator was smiling menacingly at her, his hand outstretched. There were little metal spheres floating around his hand, a few of which had just blasted through the helpful worker's chest like little bullets. The crazed operator began walking toward her, still twitching his head in that strange manner.

Her energy was spent, several of her ribs were surely broken, and she was now barely able to breathe. But the will to survive can sometimes overpower any injury, and she rolled to her hands and knees to crawl out of the motor-room. She crawled through the threshold and onto the top floor of the living quarters, and continued to crawl over to the stairs. Her plan was to scream as loud as she could to alert someone to this attack, but the operator grabbed the back of her throat as she inhaled to gather enough breath for such a scream. He pushed her to the floor, her head hanging over the first step of the stairs, and she whimpered and moaned in pain. She cried, she pleaded for her life, and she continued to spit up blood, but the operator didn't turn her loose.

He flipped her over and knelt down on top of her, straddling his legs on both sides of her to prevent any resistance on her part. Keeping one hand on her throat, he began to stroke her sweat- and blood-matted hair. When he spoke, it was still with Sahno Tenora's evil tone.

"It is _such_ a shame," he whispered to her, "that beauty such as yours must die so that the new world can begin. I will raise monuments and palaces in your honor once it's finished, once _our _work is done. If you would only tell me your name, I will allow the memory of your bravery to carry on into the new age." He cocked his head to one side and relaxed his grip on her throat to allow to her speak.

She gasped for breath, struggling immensely to pull in enough air for her body to function. The silver-eyed and Tenora-controlled operator simply waited for her to gather her breath. She could hear the sounds of fighting still going on in the motor-room.

She was crying pitifully now, the deluge of her tears washing some of the blood off her face.

"P-please, don't…please don't…I don't…" she mumbled at him.

He raised his other hand, the one that was stroking her hair, and formed a small little spike out of the metal spheres floating around him. He positioned this little dagger at her throat.

"Your name, my dear," he said calmly in Tenora's voice. "Tell me your name, and I will end your pain."

She couldn't tear her eyes away from _his _eyes, the evil silver globes that stared into her soul, into her whole existence. But a large shape suddenly loomed behind the operator, though he didn't notice.

A much larger—though equally sharp—metal lance blossomed out of the operator's chest, and he was abruptly dragged away from the blonde technician. She moaned, expecting to be assaulted by another silver-eyed monster, but she saw the other man collapse to the floor. She sat up on the floor to see who her savior was.

It was the helpful worker from earlier, the one that had gotten her out of the battle-torn motor-room. And also the man that the silver-eyed operator had pierced with his floating bullets. She had thought this poor man was dead, though he very nearly was, as he collapsed onto his back. There were several little holes in his bloodstained sleeveless shirt, and indeed his entire chest was oozing crimson.

She got to her knees and crawled over to his side, lifting his head gently into her lap. His mouth opened to spew another mouthful of gore. He was shaking all over, clearly in his death-throes, and he was clutching his chest in a vain attempt to halt the flow of blood. The blonde female technician clasped one of her hands over his, though she knew as well as he that there was no stopping this sanguine tide. The dying man gripped her hand and looked up at her, easing his head down into her lap for his final moments.

She did not know this man, although she'd most certainly seen him before today in passing. Before now, he had been just another faceless worker, as she had been another faceless officer to him. And yet, their bond in this moment was stronger and deeper than that of family, or even long-time spouses. She didn't _need _to know him to feel the infinite well of sadness and grief that she felt right now, as she watched the life fade from his eyes. A _human being _was dying in her arms, and she was powerless to stop it. She wanted to force the man to his feet and drag him to the sick-room, hoping beyond hope that there was a way to save him. But she knew he was mere seconds from death. Despite the immense pain in her chest, she bent down to gently kiss her savior's forehead, letting a few tears spill onto his hair, and he clutched her hand even tighter as he drew his last struggling breath.

"G-go," he gurgled, looking into her eyes. For one single instant, his shaking ceased. "Go."

Then he stopped breathing. All trace of life, any last scrap of spirit that his broken and punctured body held, left him. The woman's face contorted from misery and grief, and she began chanting _no-no-no_, as if her pleading would appease the powers-that-be and bring him back to life. She closed her eyes and wept. She had never wept like this before, not even at her own father's funeral. At that funeral she'd been safe and alive. Here, in this submarine with those _freaks_, she was not safe. As she might not remain living for long.

She looked around her frantically, trying to think of way to transport this man's body to someplace else. She felt a deep obligation to this gentle worker, the man that had put himself in danger to save _her_. But she was too injured to even stand. She wondered how much longer it would be before another silver-eyed monster came to end her. The motor-room door was still open, and it sounded as if the battle was still raging. She didn't want to think about how many bodies were in there.

Only very reluctantly did she lift the man's head from her lap. Right next to them was the body of the corrupted operator, still impaled by the sword-like piece of metal. It seemed immensely disrespectful to leave this noble worker's remains next to that dead _thing_. But she really didn't have much choice. She got to her knees, gritting her teeth and whimpering through the pain, and gently dragged her savior's remains over to the wall. She propped him up to lean against it, slumped over in death. It wasn't much better, but at least he was further away from _him_. As far as she was concerned, those changed and silver-eyed workers were not even human anymore. Somehow Tenora was controlling them, and through some dark power he'd morphed them into evil flesh-puppets. Whatever humanity they'd had before was now gone.

She pressed two fingers to her lips, which she then used to lightly touch the noble worker's forehead, in a gesture that she hoped resembled a blessing. _Please, spirits_, she prayed. _Watch over him_.

The severely injured blonde technician crawled over to the stairs. Just down these stairs lay the bottom level of the living quarters, and at the end of that hall the dining area. But first, she'd have to descend these stairs. And she was fully aware that she couldn't get to her feet on her own.

A long dreadful moment passed in which she wholly believed that she was going to die here, at the top of these stairs. Surely one of those silver-eyed demons was going to lunge out of that door any moment and slay her like the others. But that same fear propelled her to action, and she clambered up to rest on her knees.

_Just a little farther,_ she thought. She looked back behind her at her deceased savior, somehow drawing strength from that pit of sadness. _For him_.

With a great scream of agony and exhaustion, she metalbent the stairs into a slope. It wasn't perfect by any means, and she had used the very last of her energy to do it, but it would at least get her to the bottom level. From there…well, she'd think about that later.

She paused to gather her breath, which now came only in great heaving bursts. As she struggled to calm herself, she didn't hear anything. She didn't hear _anything_. No noise from the motor-room, other than the always-present whirring from the various machines, but no sounds of battle, no screams, yells…nothing.

Terrified at what this might mean, she inhaled sharply and shrieked as loud as she could. She didn't scream anything in particular, as she didn't know what to say. Hopefully someone who wasn't Tenora's puppet would hear her. After expending most of her breath, she threw herself down the slope she'd just created. She hadn't completely smoothed the steps out as well as she would've liked, and she hit the bottom hard and fast. The impact knocked out what little air she had, and for a long moment she just lied there.

Not knowing what else she could do, she broke down. Right there at the foot of the stairs…or rather, at the foot of what used to be stairs. She wept for that poor worker who'd saved her. She wept for the other uncorrupted workers who were surely dead. She wept for Timori, and for what might've been. But she didn't weep for herself. After witnessing true bravery from that poor worker, she didn't feel worthy of her own tears, so she didn't shed a single drop for herself. She would most likely die today, if not from those _things_, then from her injuries. But this didn't bother her, at least not consciously. It was unavoidable, inescapable, and therefore she put it out of her mind. If she had cared for her life, she would've already tried to run down the hall into the dining area.

A large boot manifested itself on her back and pressed her into the floor. She felt her already-broken bones creak even more and tasted wet metal again as more blood rose in her mouth. No whimper escaped her lips, no desperate plea to spare her life. She was broken, and in that moment she welcomed death.

_Anything to escape this hell_, she thought.

This new monster lifted his boot and turned her over onto her back. Instead of straddling her like the operator had done, this silver-eyed demon knelt next to her. It was another man she didn't know, another faceless and nameless worker. But he had no courage or valor, like her savior had had, and if she wasn't half-dead she would have told him so. _Go up there_, she wanted to tell this puppet, _and look into the dead face of heroism. You won't get the satisfaction of hearing me beg._

This new silver-eyed puppet leaned close to her ear and spoke, and her soul wanted to flee, if only to escape that horrid _voice_.

"You should have just told me your name," he growled with Tenora's voice.

She was lying on her back, and it was all she could do to not choke on her own blood and pain. She didn't dignify this fiend with a response.

"It's Su Beifong," someone yelled behind her.

The pale and silver-eyed flesh puppet looked up sharply, but too late. A thin sliver of metal, much like the ones elite Metal Clan members wore on their uniforms, lodged itself in his face right between the unnatural silver eyes. The metal had pierced him with so much force that it knocked him completely over onto his back, landing hard with a nasty thud.

"Kai-Li?!"

The blonde technician was still on her back staring straight up. But someone had just yelled her name, though she didn't know who had said it. She was too busy counting the numerous stars that dotted the surface of this ceiling. Had they always been there? If so she'd never noticed, which was a shame because they were really beautiful. As infinite as the real stars, these glorious dots of multi-colored light sparkled on everything. So abundant were they that she wondered if there was enough time left in the universe to count them all. She would very much like to count them all, every last one, but she didn't have time and she knew it. It made her sad for a moment, but the sheer beauty of this vision made it impossible for her to be anything but happy.

Su Beifong crouched next to her, worry and fear etched on her strong features. "Oh no, Kai-Li," she mumbled, tears forming in her eyes as she examined her broken body. What was she so sad about? Couldn't Su see the magnificent stars above them?

Su grasped her hand tightly. "There's still time," she said, trying to sound brave for her.

"No, ma'am," Kai-Li replied. Why was it so hard to breathe? Perhaps the glory of the stars simply took her breath away with their beauty.

The Metal Clan matriarch's eyes widened. "What? No, Kai-Li, you're going to be fine," she said quickly. "We'll bring a stretcher…the sick-room, we'll take you to the sick-room…"

Kai-Li suddenly remembered something. Something very important. She tightened her grip on her leader, Suyin Beifong's, hand.

"Su," she struggled to say. It hurt to speak, and she didn't know why. "A man…stairs, top of them. Against…wall." Kai-Li had to pause, as she began coughing horribly. Su's eyes were a veritable waterfall of tears, but she remained silent to listen to her. "Saved…me, Su." Why couldn't she get the words out? It was very frustrating, and Kai-Li _needed_ Su to understand. Someone had to get that hero's remains to safety. He deserved a proper burial.

Su was stroking her hair and crying. Kai-Li saw several men rush past them up the slope, which someone had turned back into stairs. Where were they going? She hoped that they would save that poor worker's body.

"I'm so sorry, Kai-Li," Su mumbled.

"Saved…he saved me, Su. Please…"

Somehow Su managed to smile for her, and that made Kai-Li very happy. She'd always respected Suyin Beifong immensely, and had wanted only to impress her. Su's opinion of her meant a great deal to Kai-Li, and she'd always felt so fortunate to work with such a powerful and respectable woman.

"Saved…saved…he saved me…"

Su shushed her gently, and Kai-Li drifted up to greet the stars.


	17. Chapter 16: Metal Clan Sub37

CHAPTER XVI: METAL CLAN SUB37

The sounds of battle had reached the sick-room. Korra momentarily released Asami when a high sharp shriek pierced through the walls and assaulted her ears. Just like every other sound, including her own voice, Korra felt this shriek of pain echo around in her head. It still felt as if her brain was processing everything twice, but it had become manageable, or at least ignorable.

She and Asami had been locked in a tight hug for spirits know how long. After their otherworldly ascent from their connected cots, they had rejoiced in each other's presence for as long as they were able. But the clashes and clangs of fighting that resounded throughout the submarine had begun, which only prompted the two of them to clutch each other tighter. Korra didn't know where the three metalbender guards had fled to. During Korra and Asami's spiritual vision, the three men had left them, and hadn't returned.

Korra turned her head to glance at the sick-room door, which lay about twenty feet away from them. The high-pitched shriek (undoubtedly from a woman, Korra realized with terror) had ceased.

She turned back to Asami, still holding her at arm's length. Asami's face was tear-stained, and her tunic was still rolled up to reveal her recently-bandaged torso. Korra could still feel a distant pain in her own abdomen, but it didn't sting nearly as much as it had moments before. Everything that had happened today made absolutely no sense to Korra, from Tenora's relentless pursuit of Asami to her own strange spiritual ascent with the Sato heiress.

_When will this day end?_ Korra thought.

Korra watched as Asami looked around her to glance at the door as well. She also began to quake with rage in Korra's arms, and a renewed surge of tears rolled down her lily-white cheeks. Korra didn't have to ask what was wrong. She already knew.

Asami was feeling, no doubt, the extreme hatred and weakness that Korra had unfortunately become familiar with. Being powerless and in a wheelchair for months had ruined Korra's sense of usefulness, and she had sometimes wondered if the world would be better off if she _never _recovered. Korra could sense that Asami was experiencing this same type of feeling. Tenora had found her, Tenora had threatened and attacked her, and now it sounded like he was coming to get her. And Asami felt powerless to stop it.

But Korra could do more than sympathize: she could actually _feel _Asami's helplessness. With the black-haired beauty in her arms, Korra felt like she was holding an emotionally-charged battery, as if her arms were conduits for Asami's thoughts and feelings. Asami's rage at their situation spilled over into Korra's mind, and she felt her own cheeks flush slightly from this watered-down anger. This was no simple act of empathy, either.

Korra wanted to say something to reassure her, but she didn't know what. She couldn't think of anything that didn't sound dumb or clichéd, so she kept her mouth shut. Also, and due to the overflow of anger she was feeling from Asami, Korra wanted to yell. And yelling was the _last _thing that Asami needed from her.

Instead, Asami spoke first after wiping her eyes with one hand. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and Korra saw her struggle for the right words.

"_Fuck_," she settled. Korra had to agree. "What are we going to do?"

Asami's deference to her made Korra feel exceedingly guilty. Even though she was in no shape to fight, Asami still looked to Korra for guidance.

"I…" Korra began to reply. Given the choice of dying out _there _in the submarine or in here with Asami, she'd choose Asami every time. But neither of those options were available in her mind. Not yet.

"Can you walk?" she asked Asami. It seemed much too ironic to ask, since she herself couldn't.

Asami finally let go of her. "Let me see," she said, rolling over to swing her legs over the side of the cot. But as she did so, Asami moaned and clutched her wound, as did Korra.

_What is this? _Korra thought. _Why am I hurting?_ She'd also felt an immediate sense of loss when she'd let go of Asami. Her anger wasn't spilling into Korra's mind anymore, as if relinquishing physical contact with Asami had broken some invisible connection. Like dropping a dam in the middle of a fast flowing river, Korra was suddenly cut-off from Asami's emotional overflow. It was simultaneously relieving and discomforting: relieving because she wasn't sharing Asami's anger anymore, but discomforting because Korra realized that she _wanted _that connection. Even though she didn't fully understand it, she wanted it.

Asami regained herself and stood up. She swayed in place for an instant, but she stood her ground and turned to inspect the room.

There were cots lying against the walls in every direction. The supernatural hurricane that had spun around their unconsciously spiritual bodies had flung every piece of furniture away from them, aside from their own cots. Korra followed Asami's gaze to find that her wheelchair was lying underneath a pile of cots and blankets.

Korra winced. _Great, now how are we going to get out?_

"Go," she said to Asami suddenly, who had walked over to the pile of cots. She was trying to lift them away from the wheelchair but was unable, as they were too heavy and she was too weak at the moment. "Asami, go."

She turned to pierce Korra with a flabbergasted expression. "Are you insane? I'm _not _leaving you, Korra. We'll—"

"Just go get Su," Korra interrupted her. She was aware that this plan sounded completely stupid and illogical, as she herself didn't want to leave Asami, either. But Korra couldn't _walk_, for spirit's sake, and she would only slow her down. Asami might be able to gather a few Metal Clan guards, hopefully including Su Beifong. Korra hated it but it was all she could think of.

Asami's face slackened as she caught on to Korra's intention. Then her features hardened with resolution. "No," she restated as she walked back over to Korra. "We stay together. I'm sure Su is already on her way."

"Asami…"

"NO!" she yelled at Korra. She was really crying now, and she gripped Korra's forearms.

The physical touch of Asami's hands reignited the sensory connection Korra had felt earlier. It left her stunned for a moment as she fully grasped the emotional tempest that was raging inside Asami. Korra felt tears rise in her own eyes at this revelation. Asami was _afraid_. All her fear, exasperation, vulnerability, and anger were flowing from her hands and into Korra's mind.

But this time, Asami felt the connection too. Korra could see that she could.

Asami gasped but didn't let go of Korra's forearms. She slowly knelt down next to Korra, who was still sitting up on the cot. A new emotion surfaced inside Asami's whirlpool of passion, and she let it pour from her mind into Korra. As Korra looked into the infinite green swirls of Asami's eyes, she felt it. It was love.

Asami momentarily broke the eye-contact to inspect their linked arms.

"What is…do you _feel_…?" she asked Korra.

"Yeah," Korra breathed, "I do."

Asami let out a deep breath, like a very-relieved sigh. Korra felt the aftershocks of this relief travel through her own body. "What is it?" Asami asked.

"I don't know."

Asami moved her hands up Korra's bare arms and onto her cheeks, without once breaking the physical contact. She cupped Korra's face and breathed heavily again, as did Korra. Whatever this new shared sensory connection was, it felt _good_. Ripples of euphoria voyaged down Korra's spine and up Asami's, making them both blush. Asami was still holding Korra's face in her hands, and Korra had migrated her own onto Asami's waist, holding her just below the layer of bandaging.

For a long moment they sat like this, each one holding the other while their shared pleasure, and other emotions, flowed through them both. Korra didn't know the full implications of this new emotional connection. She also didn't care, as it felt _so good _just to lay her hands on Asami. She felt her own face get hotter and hotter as the blush deepened, and she saw Asami's cheeks glowing as well. Korra smiled as she realized that she'd never seen Asami blush this much before, not even after their first kiss. _That's _how good this sensory link felt.

The memory of that kiss, and of the ones after it, brought a new thought into Korra's mind. All the surrounding sounds of battle faded away as this new vision filled her brain. She imagined a naked Asami lying next to her under a thick blanket, and in this daydream Korra slowly pulled the covers away to expose her. She saw, in nearly-real detail, every aspect of Asami's beautiful body. Then the image became mangled and distorted, like a radio broadcast in a storm. Korra saw brief flashes of herself with the gorgeous nude Asami, she remembered what it felt like when their lips met, and she wondered what it might feel like if Asami…

Korra swallowed hard to control herself. Her cheeks might as well have been on fire, they were so hot. She felt tiny dots of sweat bead down her back as she realized that she was still holding Asami's waist.

Asami had envisioned everything that Korra had just imagined, and her face was no longer lily-white. It was red as a rose.

They quickly let go of each other, both of them clearing their throats awkwardly.

"Uh…sorry," Korra mumbled. She was rubbing the back of her neck, embarrassed that she'd let her imagination get carried away like that. Especially now that she was apparently sharing her thoughts with Asami.

Asami was still recovering from her unbelievably-deep blush. She put a fist in front of her mouth to cough nervously a few times. "No, don't be. It's OK," she said.

Once again, Korra felt an abrupt sense of loss when they broke the bodily contact. This sensation-link didn't want to be broken…nor did Korra want to break it. And it seemed like Asami didn't want to, either.

She quickly reached out to Korra again, with one hand this time, and gently gripped her left hand. Straightaway, their senses joined together again. To Korra, it was like taking that first breath of fresh air after being underground for an extended amount of time. Every lungful of air seemed to contain tiny particles of pleasure, and Asami felt it too.

"_Wow_," Asami sighed, the deep blush from a moment ago still not fully gone.

"Asami…" Korra whispered. She felt her stomach squirm with desire, and she wondered if Asami felt _that_, too. But she never got to ask.

They both turned toward the sick-room door as it suddenly blasted open. Asami shot up from where she had been kneeling next to Korra and brandished a stray piece of broken cot at this new intruder. Korra rolled onto the far cot and kicked the other one, sending it reeling towards the door. It wasn't much of a defense, but it was all she could do.

And she didn't think the Avatar State would make another house-call anytime soon.

But their shared distress was misplaced, as Su emerged from the darkened hallway. Her face was contorted from misery, the kind of face that bespeaks great sadness. Tears flowed constantly from her earthbender-green eyes. Only when she walked into the electric light of the sick-room did Korra notice Su was carrying someone.

Su was cradling a rather short blonde woman that Korra didn't know. The metalbending matriarch was crying ceaselessly over the blonde woman, and Su ignored both Korra and Asami as she walked in. Without moving her arms to metalbend it, a metal cot that had been pushed against the wall suddenly righted itself and scooted across the floor to settle in front of Su, and she placed the blonde woman on this bed. Su arranged a few pillows under the woman's head to insure comfort before breaking down altogether. The Metal Clan leader's legs wobbled horribly and she fell to her knees next to the blonde woman's cot, covering her face in both hands as she wept. She still hadn't said a word to Korra or Asami.

By this time, Asami had walked back to stand next to Korra, and they exchanged a worried glance. Korra had never seen Su like this before, but she could hardly blame her. The blonde woman was wearing the typical uniform of a high-ranking Metal Clan agent, which meant that Su would've known this injured woman intimately. She'd always taken it upon herself to know the names of all her Clan members, but especially those directly under her command. Su continued weeping out loud as Korra reached for Asami's hand. Seeing Su like this broke Korra's heart.

Upon grasping Asami's hand, their connection flared to life again. But it wasn't accompanied by an overwhelming euphoria. No, this time they both felt the immense sadness emanating from Su, but it was amplified for the both of them as it flowed back and forth between Korra and Asami. Although it _was _sadness they were feeling, neither one let go of the other's hand. There was a strange comfort while their sensory-connection was flowing. Korra couldn't put it into words exactly, but it felt like being _whole_, as if touching Asami to establish this weird link completed her. Whenever they parted, they had both felt the sense of loss.

But Korra didn't think about this right now. _Poor Su,_ was all she thought.

After a few moments, Su had quieted down some. Korra looked to Asami for reassurance, then carefully said, "Su?"

The Metal Clan matriarch gasped and turned around to face them. Korra and Asami both jumped. They were still holding hands: this new sensory-link was _very _comforting, even if it amplified negative emotions as well.

"Oh," Su said, her face tear-stained and her eyes bloodshot. She wiped at her eyes a little and sniffled. "I'm sorry to barge in like that."

A long moment of silence passed between the three of them. Korra couldn't tear her eyes away from the blonde woman lying on the cot. She hadn't moved this whole time, and Korra figured she might be dead. For some reason, it felt disrespectful to ask who she was, so Korra didn't speak. The poor woman's face was bloodstained, as was a good portion of her chest. Her normally greenish uniform was a dark brown as it mixed with the red blood.

Su had turned back to this blonde woman. "Oh, Kai-Li," she mumbled as she resumed her weeping.

But the woman suddenly lurched forward with a massive gasp of air. It sounded like she was choking, and her eyes flew open as she struggled to breathe.

"Kai-Li!" Su screamed as she stood up. The blonde woman, Kai-Li, tried to roll over onto her side, and she finally managed with Su's assistance. Kai-Li opened her mouth to let out a large amount of blood, and Asami gasped. Korra tightened her grip on her hand as Su rushed to the nearby cabinets to fetch some supplies. She ran back to Kai-Li, holding a syringe with her right-hand fingers. The blonde and bleeding woman was now moaning and crying in pain, blood still oozing onto her chest and down her chin from her lips. Su worked frantically to roll up the injured woman's sleeve, finally giving up and just tearing it instead.

Without warning, Su plunged the syringe into Kai-Li's upper arm, which only served to procure another moan from the bleeding woman. But after a few stressful moments, the blonde Metal Clan officer quieted down some, though her breathing still came in short ragged gasps.

Korra exhaled, as did Asami. Su was kneeling next to Kai-Li again. The blonde woman slowly eased up as the medicine took effect, and Su got to her feet when Kai-Li finally seemed stable. Asami had let go of Korra's hand to rush over to the cabinets against the wall. She went over to Kai-Li's bedside with a roll of gauze and some clean towels in hand, and she handed one towel to Su. They both began to dab at the blonde woman's face to wipe away the blood, as well as her chest to hopefully stop the bleeding.

Korra hated watching all of this. She wanted to _help_, not just sit by and observe.

Su turned around, meaning to go back to the cabinet for some more towels, but Kai-Li reached out and grabbed her arm. Su jumped, but her expression immediately softened for the blonde woman's sake.

"S-su," Kai-Li mumbled. In between several ragged gasps, she said, "Where…is h-he?"

Su Beifong bent down to speak softly. "Who?" she asked.

A single tear rolled down Kai-Li's cheek. "I don't…_him_, where is…I don't know his name…I don't know his name..."

"Kai-Li, honey," Su whispered, "try to relax. You're safe now, I'm going to get you out of this." Su looked to Asami and then back to Korra. "We're _all _going to get out of this."

Kai-Li apparently didn't have anything else to say, or couldn't say it if she did, and she tried to double over in pain for an instant. After that, the medicine had fully kicked-in, and she closed her eyes and eased back onto her pillows.

Su sighed heavily and wiped her face a bit more. Asami rubbed the older woman's back in a comforting gesture, at which point Su gave one final sob.

"I'm so sorry," Su said to Korra and Asami.

"What's going on out there?" Asami asked Su.

Su sighed heavily again and groaned in anger. "Timori wasn't Tenora's only agent on board. Several of my workers in the motor-room are under his control…their _eyes_ are…" Su shivered.

Korra knew exactly what she meant. But this raised another major question in her head: how is Sahno Tenora able to manipulate all these people at _once_, and from far away? Unfortunately, Korra also knew that this question wouldn't be answered today. All that mattered right now was getting out of this damned submarine.

Su continued. "Those…_changed _men assaulted the motor-room first, and they were making for the control-room when I heard Kai-Li scream."

_So that's who that was_, Korra thought. She and Asami had heard Kai-Li's high-pitched shriek. Kai-Li was lying on the cot peacefully now, or at least as peacefully as possible, given her condition. Her skin was ghostly-pale, and her blonde hair was matted with blood.

"My metalbenders—the ones that still work for _me_, anyway—have secured the control-room and mess hall," Su said. "This attack was disastrous, but I fear Tenora hasn't yet revealed his full plan."

Something had been nagging at Korra for a while, an idea that she wanted an answer to. "Su," Korra said gently, "does this submarine have a lifeboat? Something we and your crew can escape on?"

The Beifong woman was still watching Kai-Li's prone form, tears still rolling softly down her face. "Yes," she mumbled. "There are two escape pods underneath the motor-room."

Korra saw Asami turn back to look at her, and she knew that they were thinking the same thing: _two_ escape pods didn't sound like a lot.

Su had recovered and shrugged off Asami's comforting arm, just in time for the lights to go out. Korra heard a low bass sound vibrate throughout the sub—the sound of a large machine powering down, like when a whole city block loses power during a blackout. Su cursed loudly and kicked a stray piece of broken furniture. Korra's eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet, but she saw Asami's faint silhouette rush toward her. A second later, Asami's hand materialized on her wrist, reestablishing their link.

The now-familiar and comforting relief returned to Korra's mind as they joined hands again. The darkness in the room vanished as every one of her senses were flooded with vibrancy. It was still dark in here, but Korra could now distinctly see everything in this sick-room. She looked up at Asami standing next to her cot, and they both gasped. Joined as they were, they _both_ could see through this sudden blackout. Su was fumbling about clumsily toward the door, her eyes not yet fully adjusted, and even the sleeping figure of Kai-Li was distinguishable to Korra and Asami's new vision.

"Can you…?" Asami asked her.

"Yeah," Korra answered. "Weird."

_Nothing makes sense anymore_, Korra thought. She wondered if Asami could hear her thoughts as well. Korra didn't think she could, even though she had seen Korra's passionate vision a few minutes ago.

"Are you two alright?" Su asked. She had made it to the door and was feeling around in a small drawer built into the wall. She lifted out a little handheld flashlight and clicked it on, shining it on Korra and Asami.

"We're fine," Korra said, shielding her eyes from the bright light. She pointed at the pile of cots covering her wheelchair. "Su, could you…?"

Su turned the flashlight on the cots. "Of course," she said, once she saw that Korra's wheelchair was under them. A swift motion of Su's arms later, and the metal cots cleared away so Korra's chair could zoom over next to her bedside. Asami helped her into it, and they rushed to over to Su, who was now lifting the injured Kai-Li back into her arms. The blonde woman didn't wake back up, but she was breathing. Su handed the flashlight to Asami.

"Let's go," Su said. "I'll get you two into one of the escape pods first. Hopefully we can rally most of my crew along the way." The door to the sick-room was no longer attached, as Su had blown it off when she'd entered carrying the unconscious Kai-Li, so they all exited the room through the open threshold.

Su had brought two other Metal Clan guardsmen with her when she'd transported Kai-Li to the sick-room, and these men had been standing outside the door. Su nodded to them both, and all five of them (six, including Kai-Li) headed down the hall. The sick-room was at the very end of this long passage, which was also the top level of the living quarters. Below them was where Korra and Asami's room had been—though it was now in shambles—as well as the dining hall and control-room. The two Metal Clan guards carried their own flashlights, so they had plenty to see by as they walked toward the motor-room.

Asami was rolling Korra in her wheelchair alongside Su, who was carrying Kai-Li. Korra reached up over her own shoulder to lay her hand on Asami's. She inhaled as their sensual link clicked back on, effectively clearing her addled and anxious thoughts. Not to mention opening her eyes further to wash away the darkness around them. Even with her strangely enhanced hearing, Korra couldn't detect any sound from the motor-room ahead of them, not even the usual whirring and clanking of the essential machines. There wasn't any light coming from the moto-room, either. But if this _entire _submarine was without power…

_Are we dead in the water? _Korra thought, though she quickly dismissed that notion. She didn't want to think about the word 'dead.'

The two Metal Clan guards entered the motor-room first to survey the area. The door had been left ajar. Everything was eerily quiet up here, but Korra could hear some ambient voices coming from the dining hall down below. There were two very large pools of blood here, right outside the motor-room door. One was splashed up against the wall to the left of the door, while the other puddle belonged to a lifeless body lying next to the stairs.

Korra gasped as she inspected this corpse. No one had to illuminate it for her: she and Asami could see it plain as day. Judging by the man's attire, Korra guessed that this corpse had once worked in the motor-room. Now, he was lying on his side as a giant metal spike protruded from his chest, and his head drooped to the floor. His eyes were still open in a death-stare, and Korra could see that they were covered in a sleek silver sheen.

This worker had been one of Tenora's double-agents, reduced to a mere flesh-puppet controlled by the mad bloodbender. Someone had ended this particular betrayer's life, and had perhaps gotten injured themselves, if the amount of blood here was any indication.

Kai-Li suddenly moaned from Su's arms. Su shushed her quietly and whispered soothingly in her ear to calm her down.

_Where are the other corrupted men? _Korra thought. _Su had said there'd been many of them_. She didn't want to ask Su this, if only to keep as quiet as possible. There really wasn't any sound up here at all, and it was starting to send fear-shivers down Korra's spine. The gloomy darkness combined with the eerie silence didn't exactly exude reassurance. She tightened her grip on Asami's hand.

The two Metal Clan guards returned a few moments later to whisper to Su. "All clear, ma'am," one of them said. "Motor-room's empty."

"And the latch to the escape pods?" Su asked. "Has it been opened?"

The other guard shook his head. "No, ma'am, I don't think anyone's been in there."

"Good work, you two," Su nodded, still whispering. "Help me get them in one pod and we'll come back for the others."

Following Su's two guards, they all entered the murky motor-room. It was warmer in this room, though a strange stillness had descended on this place. The air felt dry and thin as Korra inhaled, and though her senses were heightened because of her link with Asami, this large room was _very _dark. One of the Metal guards ran over to the far-left wall and crouched down. Korra couldn't see what he was doing, as his crouched body was obscured by a large machine, but his flashlight sent rippling shadows up the wall behind him as he worked. The other guard had his arms in a defensive posture as he escorted Korra, Asami, and Su towards the working guard.

A few moments later, the guard that was crouched behind the machine poked his head over the top. His handheld flashlight illuminated his face from underneath, casting creepy shadows across his face. "I've got it open, Madam Beifong," he said. "Doesn't appear to be anyone inside."

They continued making their way across the darkened motor-room to join him. Once they walked around the machine, Korra saw that the Metal guard had opened a large circular latch-door that was built into the floor. The man shone his light down into the hole, revealing a small spiral staircase.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Korra couldn't help but pout a little. _This submarine isn't very wheelchair-friendly_, she thought bitterly.

She felt Asami stifle a small laugh behind her. Could she hear Korra's thoughts?

"I don't think this thing's gonna fit, Su," Korra said, indicating her chair.

Su nodded to her Metal guards, and they each gently picked Korra up under her shoulders. They helped her to her feet and she put her arms around each of them, taking note of how truly dark it was in this motor-room, especially now that she'd let go of Asami. With their free hands, each Metal guard carrying Korra pointed their flashlights in front of them as they descended the spiral staircase. Thankfully it wasn't a very tall flight of steps, and they arrived at the foot of the stairway to peer into more darkness. Asami and Su (still carrying Kai-Li) walked down behind them.

The spiral stairs led down into a small chamber that had two round doors on the other end, opposite the staircase. Each door had a little round porthole window, but the glare from the flashlights prevented Korra from seeing into them. The walls on both sides of these doors had dozens of life-preservers hung up neatly on little hooks. The guards carrying Korra approached the round doors and opened the left one, then gently escorted her inside. Korra took note that it was a sealed door, and therefore had to be opened with metalbending.

This was one of the escape pods that Su had mentioned. It wasn't very big at all, and had only two rows of seats inside. Altogether, there were only fourteen seats total, seven on each side.

The guards helped Korra into a seat near the front. The round door was actually at the back end of the pod, so Korra wasn't sitting close to the door. Asami walked in and sat next to her on her right, and both guards handed them each their own life-vest. Su came in next and had her guards help her place Kai-Li into a chair, and they gently strapped her in place with the seatbelts that were on each chair. The poor blonde woman looked so frail sitting there, as she was still unconscious. Her head drooped to one side as she breathed raggedly.

"OK," Su said now that they three were seated. She pointed at one of the guards. "Rory, stay here and protect these women. Menji and I will gather what's left of the crew and meet you here."

The guard, Rory, saluted Su. "Yes, ma'am."

Su knelt in front of Korra and Asami and clasped their hands. "Rory's one of my finest," she told them. "You'll be safe with him."

"Su…" Korra began.

"I won't be long, Korra, I promise," Su assured her. She stood back up and nodded at the other guard, Menji. "Let's go. Time is of the essence."

"Agreed, Madam Beifong," he replied. He nodded to Rory and exited the escape pod with Su.

Su had thought that Korra didn't want to be left alone with only Rory to guard her. What Korra was really afraid of, however, was Su taking only one guard with _her_.

* * *

The Metal Clan guard sealed the small round door behind Su and Menji as they left, then he flipped a switch near the door. Small cylindrical lights flickered to life above them in the escape pod, illuminating the small area.

The Avatar and Miss Sato sat together near the front of the pod, by the cockpit. Rory knew that there were two small pilot's seats up there, facing forward, and he also knew how to drive this miniature submarine. Su had placed the unconscious Kai-Li across from them, and the injured blonde woman still hadn't woken up. When he'd sealed the door behind Su and Menji, Rory had noticed the strange looks he was getting from Korra and Asami.

He gave them both a slight bow. "I didn't mean to frighten you," he apologized. "But I do think it's best to leave the door closed, for now."

Both women relaxed a little at this. Rory couldn't blame them for suspecting him: so _many _of his friends and fellow crew-members had already betrayed them all. It didn't make any sense. Hours, even moments before, those same people had been just as lively and normal as ever. And now they were monsters out for their blood. Rory had learned that they began to change in the motor-room first, their skin paling to almost-white and their veins bulging. Rory and Menji had fled to the control-room to find Su after a _hurricane_ had formed around the Avatar and Miss Sato, but when they got there a few crew members in the dining hall had already transformed. And with those _eyes_...Thankfully Su had emerged from the control-room with extra metalbenders to eliminate the threat.

The lights above Rory's head were just bright enough to see by, so he clicked off his flashlight and replaced it back into his pocket. He took a seat near the door in a defensive position. He hoped that the women he was assigned to protect wouldn't be offended by his distance from them.

Rory was the guard that had bandaged Asami earlier, though he doubted that she would remember that. He was actually very surprised that she was up and able to support herself, especially after he had witnessed that spectacular event in the sick-room. He wondered if that had been some standard Avatar-healing-ritual, but if it was, he hoped that Korra wouldn't do it again in this small pod. Rory thought it would be best to not mention it.

To his surprise, Asami actually spoke up now. "Thank you," was all she said to him.

He didn't know if she was thanking him for bandaging her or for guarding her, but he smiled reassuringly. "You're very welcome, Miss Sato." He felt that he should say more, so he added, "I apologize for this disastrous turn of events, but I assure you that Madam Beifong will see us through."

Asami gave him a half-smile, but the Avatar didn't seem so sure. Rory felt her eyes watching his every move, and her suspicion of him filled the cabin of the escape pod with an aura of tension. He tried making eye contact with her in a vain attempt at establishing friendly relations, but Korra only stared him down until his sense of respect forced him to look away. Avatar Korra's stubbornness was widely known, but that didn't make Rory feel any better.

Asami saw Korra giving him the evil-eye and she nudged her in the ribs. "What?" she whispered to Asami. Miss Sato didn't reply.

Rory was sweating profusely, and he was trying to manage it by flapping the shirt of his uniform until he remembered the climate controls in the cockpit. He got up and walked the few feet to the pilot's cabin, still feeling Korra's watchful gaze. He arrived in the claustrophobic little room and sat down in the main pilot's chair on the left.

This escape pod was powered by its own on-board battery, and in reality its motor system functioned no different than a normal speedboat, aside from being totally underwater. There were three tanks of pressurized air underneath the floor, and the pod's climate control system utilized this to supply fresh air for its occupants to breathe. He turned the system on and sighed with relief when the air became much more manageable.

Rory had turned to walk back toward his seat near the door when the whole escape pod shuddered. Korra and Asami yelped, and he had to brace himself on both walls to keep from falling. He listened for a moment to see if there was any sound to accompany this sudden tremor. There wasn't.

"Hey!" Korra yelled at him. "What was that?"

"I don't know," he replied. He took three running steps at the round exit door when the pod quaked again. Rory shouted and stumbled, knocking his right knee hard on one of the metal seats as he fell to the floor.

_What the hell? _Rory thought, gritting his teeth as he clutched his knee. It wasn't that bad, but it would swell, for sure.

"Are you two OK?" he asked the women as he stood up. He leaned against the wall with one hand to steady himself.

They both nodded at him, and he turned to face the exit door. He walked up to it and peered through the little porthole. He couldn't see anything out there, and he pulled his flashlight out to shine it through. Still not seeing anything, Rory cautiously sat back down. Perhaps the larger submarine had shuddered, and they were only feeling the aftershocks. Which still wasn't a very comforting thought.

Kai-Li moaned suddenly and lifted her head up from her chin. Her eyes opened, and Rory saw that her pupils were slightly dilated from the painkilling drug she'd been given. He rushed over to comfort her and sat in a chair on her left, putting one arm around her as he did so. Rory had always liked Kai-Li, though just as close friends, and he had been stricken when he'd found Su kneeling next to her bleeding body. Up until now, he'd been sure she was dead or dying, so now he began to feel the early stages of hope as she awoke.

"Shh, it's alright, Kai-Li," he said to her.

The blonde metalbender was groaning from pain and confusion. She lifted her head up to look at him. "Ro…ry?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"Uhh…" Kai-Li moaned. "Where are we—"

_BOOM._

The escape shook violently again, and Rory heard shouts and screams from outside. He looked to the door, expecting one of those _freaks _to open the door at any moment.

"Miss Sato?" he asked Asami, indicating that she take his place and comfort Kai-Li.

Asami nodded and switched seats to hold Kai-Li's swaying body. Rory got up and ran to the door, shining his flashlight through the porthole again. Still nothing.

_BOOM._

Another traumatic shake swept through the pod, but this time Rory saw the cause. A bright light flashed through the hallway leading to the spiral staircase. In fact, he saw that the light was coming from _above_ the stairs, meaning that something was happening up in the motor-room. He heard muffled shouts coming from the staircase as well, along with another loud _boom _and flashing lights, and he was tempted to go have a look and assist if he could. But Rory couldn't leave these three women unaided. Even if he hadn't been ordered to stay, his pride and respect were enough to compel him.

Instead of leaving, he ran back into the cockpit and jumped into one of the pilot seats. He ignited the motor, feeling it rumble to life underneath him, and he flipped on all the major controls. The steering and navigation console, radar screen, and hull monitoring system all flared into working condition at Rory's command. Something _bad _was happening outside of this pod, and he wanted it to be ready to launch when Madam Beifong arrived.

A sudden slamming knock on the escape pod door brought Rory's attention away from the controls. He got up and sprinted back to the little round latch-door, making the distance in only three long strides. Someone was knocking on the door furiously, and Rory shined his light on the porthole to see who it was.

Madam Su Beifong, her face outlined in blood, was slamming her fist on the escape pod's door. Fear, dread, and anxiety sped from Rory's brain down his spine as he yelped, fumbling his flashlight down onto a nearby seat so he could metalbend the door open.

As the door swung outward, Su stepped away to allow it to open before nearly collapsing into Rory's arms.

"Madam!" he yelped as he assisted her into a seat near the door. "What's going on…?"

Rory glanced back into the hallway leading to the spiral staircase. Flames were shooting down from the top of the stairs, along with a heavy amount of smoke and the occasional random spark. There was one mangled body draped across the bottom of the spiral stairs. Rory saw that blood was pouring out from under this person. Only four other Metal Clan members remained alive.

But that wasn't quite accurate, Rory observed.

There were in fact several more Metal Clan people scrambling down the staircase, but their eyes were now silver. The small passage leading to the escape pods was quickly filling up with these corrupted Zaofu citizens, and the other non-silver-eyed metalbenders were trying to fend them off as they slowly backed up towards the pod.

Su hobbled into the cockpit behind Rory. He saw that her right leg was shaking and bleeding terribly, but he turned back to aid his fellow Metal Clan as they defended the escape pods from these monsters. Rory flung his arms this way and that, shooting the little pieces of metal that were attached to his uniform at these betrayers. Tears rolled silently down his face as he struck down his once-comrades, people that he would've died for only an hour before.

One of the non-corrupted metalbenders fell as one silver-eyed woman gashed his throat from across the room with a flying dagger, using her own twisted metalbending to bring the blade back to her hand like some murderous boomerang. Rory yelled at the other three to get into the escape pod, and he locked eyes with the silver-eyed woman who'd just killed one of her own.

Rory braced himself into a balanced stance, spreading his feet shoulder-width apart and his arms in front of him. The last non-corrupted Metal Clan member jumped into the escape pod and screamed at him, but Rory didn't listen. As he stood there defending the escape pod, more and more corrupted metalbenders piled into this small chamber. Su and the others would never be able to eject the pod in time.

Rory waved his arms and stomped one foot to seal the door of the escape pod behind him. He heard the people inside the pod banging on the door for him to join them, but Rory ignored their protests and sealed the second door over that.

Then he turned to face his corrupted friends. _Goodbye, Kai-Li._

* * *

"…what's he doing!"

"…open the door…!"

"…can't, he's holding the seal!"

The last three Metal Clan crew members had piled into the escape pod at Rory's command, only to watch as he sealed the door behind them. Rory was still out there with the silver-eyed betrayers.

The two men and one woman tried furiously to force the door open with their own bending, but Rory was mentally holding it shut. They cried and cursed at him from inside the pod. None of them wanted to leave Rory behind.

Meanwhile, Su was working the controls in a fury, trying desperately to speed up the launch process. She had observed that Rory had already started most of the systems, and without that little head-start Su didn't know if they would've made it. But now that Rory had just sealed the second door over their escape pod, they could launch. No, Su didn't _want _to leave him behind, but he hadn't given them a choice. Rory knew he was sacrificing himself to buy them some time, and Su wept at his undying loyalty.

"Everyone, sit down and buckle up!" she yelled from the cockpit. She saw that they were trying to open the door to help Rory, and Su began to sob uncontrollably along with them. "Now!" she screamed through her own tears.

Very reluctantly, the last of her crew chose seats and strapped themselves in. All of them were crying, two were bleeding, and even Su herself was injured. Korra was holding onto the straps of her seatbelt and Asami was holding Kai-Li steady, who was now awake, Su realized.

She closed her eyes for a moment to send a quick prayer to the spirits for Rory's sake, then Su pressed the green **[LAUNCH] **button. The escape pod catapulted away from the bottom of the submarine and sped through the ocean depths. The submarine itself was floating at the surface of the water, and Su piloted their pod to do the same. They breached through the top of the water and raced away from the doomed vessel, the very last of Metal Clan Sub37's crew sobbing pitifully inside the escape pod.

Su would've sworn that she could still hear Rory's voice.


	18. Chapter 17: Stranded (Part 1)

CHAPTER XVII: STRANDED

PART: I

Asami awoke to the same ambient motor noises that she had fallen asleep to.

It was now several hours after their narrow escape from the overwhelmed submarine, but Asami didn't know what time it was. This whole day had seemed like something out of a horrible nightmare, something that just goes on and on forever until you either wake up or die trying. And Asami felt as if they'd just barely escaped death.

Korra mumbled softly in her sleep against Asami's left shoulder. During their initial escape, Asami had actually been sitting next to Kai-Li, trying her utmost to make the harrowing journey comfortable for the injured woman. Over time, one of the other remaining metalbenders (of which there were three, not including Su, who was still up front in the cockpit) had relieved Asami of her self-assigned caretaker position. She'd then resumed her place to the right of Korra.

Asami herself hadn't wanted to sleep: she didn't want to appear weak at a moment like this. After all, so many innocent Metal Clan crew members had just perished to insure her escape, whether they knew it or not. But her exhaustion had finally overcome her, not to mention that she had her arm around Korra, which meant that Asami was currently under the euphoric spell of their new strange connection. If Korra felt tired, Asami could feel it too.

The three metalbenders that had managed to survive the final attack inside the submarine were huddled near the door of the escape pod. Kai-Li, of course, was still strapped in across from Asami and Korra, and the blonde woman was asleep. One of the other three Metal Clan members was sobbing soundlessly in his seat, and he'd been that way even before Asami had dozed off. He wouldn't speak to anyone, not even his two remaining comrades or Su, but at least now he was quiet.

Asami sighed and rested her head back down onto Korra's. This weird link between them felt _so good_, and as far as Asami could tell, it amplified every feeling that occurred in either of them. She could sense Korra's exhaustion rippling up her arm and into her mind as it tugged on her eyelids, trying to coax her back into sleep. Asami blinked rapidly several times to clear her head. Of course, simply letting go of Korra would break their sense-link, but she didn't want to do that. And with the Water Tribe girl's head on her shoulder, Asami _couldn't _let go, lest she abruptly wake Korra. So she sighed again and nestled her own head on top of Korra's chocolate hair.

One of the other metalbenders coughed violently from her seat. This woman had apparently been stabbed during their final fight with the silver-eyed traitors, but her two comrades had managed to patch her up…for now. Su had shown them all where the medical supply drawer was located in this escape pod, and there was even a small locker filled with canned food and water.

Asami had taken a look inside it: there was _not_ an abundance of supplies. Wherever Su was taking them, Asami hoped it was close.

In the first two hours after their escape, the three metalbenders had argued ceaselessly with Su about where they should go. The three Metal Clan officers were of the mind that Su should take them all back to Republic City. Asami secretly agreed, though she hadn't voiced any opinion at the time. She could still feel the massive weight of all those dead Metal Clan people on her shoulders. Su had brought her crew to transport _her _to the South Pole, along with Korra. All those people…and on the _airship_…Tenora had killed them all just to get to Asami, and she didn't even know why.

_Well…_she thought. _I do know why. He wants 'The Construct,' whatever the hell that is._

Su had ultimately won the argument, however. She'd said that she knew of an island further south that had a refueling station for airships: this island would have originally been their first destination, if Tenora hadn't destroyed their own airship. This escape pod unfortunately didn't have a long-distance radio, but that refueling island surely would, so that's where they were currently headed.

Korra stirred again on Asami's shoulder, but she didn't wake. _Thank the spirits for you, Korra_. The blue-eyed girl in her arms was capable of completely soothing Asami's rambling mind, no matter how bad things got. Korra had been able to settle Asami's thoughts even before they had this new sensory-link, and now that they _did _have this link, Korra's pacifying presence was more powerful than ever. Asami closed her eyes and turned her face into Korra's hair, breathing in the simple scent of her lustrous brown curls.

Asami opened her eyes again after taking another large lungful of Korra's soothing scent. She saw that Kai-Li was awake now, and the blonde metalbender was watching Asami with a small smile. Despite the caked blood in it, Kai-Li's vibrant blonde hair was really striking, especially considering she's an earthbender. Eathbenders typically don't have such lightly-colored hair, instead leaning more towards the brunette end of the spectrum. Asami recognized that in a different light (preferably one that didn't include blood), Kai-Li would be very beautiful indeed.

Kai-Li pulled in a gasp of air, and when she spoke her voice sounded horribly raspy. "How long…have you known the…Avatar?" she asked Asami. Kai-Li was struggling to maintain her smile, but her injuries were making that task very difficult.

Asami didn't lift her head from Korra's as she responded. "Three years," she replied, and her answer stunned even her. _I've known Korra for only three years? _For some strange reason, that didn't seem right. But some quick mental math revealed that it was true: they had first met when Asami was eighteen, and she was twenty-one now.

_Only three years…_So much had changed for Asami during those three short years. Without a doubt in her mind, she knew that they had been the best three years of her life. But there had been heartbreaks, on multiple fronts, even. Her own father had betrayed her, and of course there was that mess with Mako, though Asami secretly blamed herself for that…at least a little. Mako was handsome, brave, kind, and even sweet at times, but under all that he was insecure. The poor firebender simply tried too hard too much, always worried that he was screwing something up instead of just _being_. That's why Asami placed some of the blame on herself: perhaps she'd been a little too forward for him.

Yet throughout those turbulent times, Korra had always been there to lend a hand, shoulder or ear, according to Asami's needs.

She hugged Korra a little tighter for a moment. _Would I have guessed three years ago that my relationship with Korra would have evolved into this? _No, she wouldn't have guessed it, but Asami smiled as she recollected her past adventures with Korra and Team Avatar. She might have guessed it, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Kai-Li continued watching her in silence for another moment. She had seen Asami's nostalgic smile, and it made the blonde woman's face light up.

"You care…deeply for her," she said. It wasn't a question, merely an observation.

_You have no idea,_ Asami thought. But she didn't say that. "Yeah," was her reply. "I do."

Kai-Li coughed hoarsely twice before continuing. "True friends are hard…to come by." Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe past the pain in her side, though that same pain didn't dampen her mood. "She's lucky to have you, Miss Sato."

Asami smiled at Kai-Li's kind words. "Thank you. And please, call me Asami."

Kai-Li nodded her head. "I'm Kai-Li," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'd…shake your hand, but…" Kai-Li indicated her arms, which were strapped in underneath her seatbelt, along with the rest of her body. Su had securely fastened Kai-Li in her chair before they had launched the escape pod, and due to her extensive injuries, they'd all thought it best that she stay that way for now.

Asami let out a small laugh at Kai-Li's joke. Her injuries weren't funny, by any means, but it was good that the blonde woman was able to crack a joke at her own expense. It helped to ease the tension that was thick as iron in the escape pod.

"How're you feeling?" Asami asked Kai-Li. It was probably a really dumb question: the blonde woman did _not _look good at all. The front of her uniform was still damp with blood on both sides of her chest, and there was a thin trickle of dried crimson on her chin. Her skin was spectral-white and her eyes were bloodshot as well. And despite all this, Kai-Li was _still _able to smile.

_She might even be as tough as Korra_, Asami pondered for a moment.

"Just…peachy," Kai-Li replied. She tried to smile again but it turned into a grimace from her pain. "I don't want…to think about it…"

"I'm sorry," Asami whispered. "I didn't mean to—"

"Don't," Kai-Li interrupted. "It's fine. Talking helps…so keep talking. Please."

Asami sat there for a moment, not sure of what to talk about. _I wish Korra was awake_.

"OK…" she started. "Well, um…" Asami hated being put on the spot like this. She'd never excelled at small-talk. "How did you meet Su?"

Kai-Li smiled broadly at that. "I live in Zaofu…it's impossible to _not _know Suyin Beifong," she said matter-of-factly, which successfully made Asami feel really stupid.

"Oh."

"I'm just…teasing you," Kai-Li mumbled, but that didn't stop Asami's slight blush. "But the real answer…isn't much more…exciting." She lifted her head to lean backward onto the headrest while she collected her thoughts, her eyes glazing over with memory.

"I was younger," Kai-Li resumed, "thirteen…to be exact. I grew up in Zaofu, back…in the early days. My mother cleaned houses…father skipped out, no-good alcoholic—" She coughed here, interrupting her train of thought. After a moment while she gathered her breath, Kai-Li continued. "I never knew him. Mom made me…hide my earthbending, didn't want any…unnecessary attention. But I still practiced…when she wasn't looking, or at work."

Kai-Li paused again to settle herself. By now the other three metalbenders were listening from their seats near the escape pod's door, except for the sobbing man who wouldn't speak. Asami also felt Korra's eyes open. Without even seeing her face, Asami could _feel_—through their sense-link—Korra's eyes open. But Korra kept quiet as Kai-Li resumed her tale.

"By ten years old, I…I could metalbend," she said. "Never told my mother I could…I just kept quiet to…please her. I still don't know why she wanted me…to hide it. Zaofu…was _created _by bending, she was…just paranoid." Now Kai-Li lowered her head to look at Asami. "Anyway…a month before my…fourteenth birthday, I sort of…derailed one of the trains with my bending."

Asami raised her eyebrows at that. For a thirteen-year-old girl, that would've been an impressive act of metalbending. Even Asami, a non-bender, knew that. She felt Korra shift her weight underneath her.

Kai-Li continued reminiscing. "So Su…trained me herself, after that. Said I had real talent. Mom…didn't like it, but she…came around eventually." She had apparently finished her story, because she stopped speaking and looked at Asami to gauge her reaction.

"Liar," Asami said playfully. "That _is _an exciting story."

Kai-Li smiled, though it soon turned into a painful wince. Korra had fully awoken by now, and she gently lifted her head off Asami's shoulder. Asami raised her own head to let her up, but she kept her arm around Korra.

Korra turned her face up to look into Asami's eyes as she slipped her own arm around Asami's waist. Now that she was awake, Korra's senses were fully connected to Asami's. She could feel the change. The escape pod suddenly sprung into vivid clarity for Asami's vision, as did every sound, smell, and feeling. As Asami breathed in, Korra breathed out. As Korra inhaled, Asami exhaled. She wanted to kiss Korra right now as they locked eyes in this moment. Their faces were oh-so-close, and Korra's slightly darker lips were almost too enticing for Asami to bear. But she didn't know if it would be appropriate, given their current circumstances. Kai-Li was watching and the other three metalbenders were less than eight feet away, so Asami didn't want to embarrass Korra…or herself.

But before Asami could think about it any further, Korra closed the gap. A small and insignificant peck on Asami's lips was just enough. But to Asami, this very tiny kiss was _not_ insignificant. While it wasn't a fully-formed passionate bout of lip-locking, Korra's little kiss told Asami _'I'm not afraid_.' Korra didn't care if Kai-Li or a few metalbenders saw it, and her confidence flowed through their briefly-connected lips and into Asami's mind.

_I love you, Korra_, she thought. _I love you so much._

Korra pulled away with a smile on her face, and Asami couldn't help but match it. The Water Tribe woman placed her head back onto Asami's shoulder, though she didn't go back to sleep.

Kai-Li very briefly raised one eyebrow at their kiss but said nothing, instead offering a reassuring smile. Asami didn't look at the other metalbenders to see what they thought of her kissing Korra. After all, why _should _she care what they thought? Korra clearly wasn't afraid of openly displaying her affection for Asami, but was Asami afraid to do the same?

_No, _she thought angrily. _I'm not. Korra is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and it's time I start showing it._

To begin her new rebellious and openly-affectionate attitude, Asami laid her head back down onto Korra's, except this time she made a point to look at the metalbenders. Kai-Li offered no resistance and held her gaze with a smile. The other bleeding Metal Clan woman, however, instantly averted her eyes when Asami looked at her. Whether this was because she was a shy person by nature or because she didn't approve of Asami and Korra, Asami didn't know, but it didn't matter. She tried to make her eyes say _'go ahead, say something, I dare you_,' but Asami quickly let it pass. If the other metalbenders didn't like it, then that was their problem, not hers.

Korra spoke now underneath Asami's cheek. "I hate submarines," she mumbled with a sigh.

Before she could stop herself, Asami burst into several seconds of laughter. The three Metal Clan crew members gave her some criticizing looks, but she didn't notice.

_You always know what to say, Korra._

Even Kai-Li, the most severely injured person among them, managed to laugh softly at Korra's remark. "So do I, Avatar Korra," she said.

"Stop," Korra said. "No more of that 'Avatar Korra' nonsense, please. I appreciate it, really I do, but just 'Korra' is fine." She even rotated her head under Asami's to address the other three metalbenders. "That goes for you three, too."

To Asami's amazement, two of the Metal Clan crew actually gave Korra a slight bow with their heads as they acknowledged Korra's command. The other metalbender was still sobbing to himself and ignoring everything else. Even if the other two didn't approve of her relationship with Korra, Asami noticed that they still respected her Avatar status.

_I'm in love with the most powerful person on the planet, _she thought. And that definitely brought a smile to Asami's lips.

Now Korra eased away from Asami's shoulder to talk with the three metalbenders, though she kept one arm around her waist to maintain their link.

"What's your name?" Korra asked the bandaged woman.

The other female metalbender sat a little straighter in her seat. "Jaina," she said with a nod. Jaina was thin (almost alarmingly so) with a fair face, light voice, and standard earthbender attributes. Those being brunette hair and green eyes, as opposed to Kai-Li's stark-blonde hair, though both women had green eyes. Asami noted that all of the metalbenders—even the poor souls who'd perished in the submarine—were handsome in some way, almost as if it were a prerequisite to _be _a metalbender.

Korra returned her nod, then indicated the man next to her. "And you?"

"Name's Gairo," he growled. His voice was rough as sandpaper, as if every word was scouring his throat as he spoke. Again, nothing too special about him, apart from his low voice. Brown hair plus green eyes equals earthbender. Check.

Korra now turned to the man sitting across from Jaina and Gairo. This was the metalbender that hadn't spoken since they'd fled the submarine, and he was now holding his knees to his chest as he continued to sob in silence. This man was perhaps equally as good-looking as Kai-Li, Jaina, and Gairo, but it was hard to tell in his current state. Typical earthbender-brown hair, yes, but Asami saw a hint of blue in his eyes. That is, once you looked past the bloodshot and tear-stained face.

Korra looked back at Jaina and Gairo. They both shrugged at the other man's condition, but Jaina said, "That's Wenlu." Jaina leaned forward to place one hand on Wenlu's knee. "Come on, Wenlu, it's going to be alright. We're safe now."

As soon as she'd said this, Wenlu recoiled from her touch and knocked her hand away. Jaina gasped and Gairo frowned at him.

"Knock it off, Wenlu," he growled at the crying metalbender. "You think _we're _not upset? You think you're the only one who lost someone today? We've all been through _hell_…the least you could do is speak to us."

Jaina shushed Gairo, but he still scowled at the poor sobbing Wenlu. Their entire exchange only added to Asami's guilt. Once again, she pictured the delicious breakfast she and Korra had had only just this morning. _All _of those people in the dining hall…gone, because Sahno Tenora wanted _Asami_. Su, Kai-li, Jaina, Gairo, and Wenlu were all that remained of the Metal Clan crew that had been aboard that doomed vessel.

Despite Gairo's harsh words, it actually produced a response from the sobbing Wenlu. "D-d-dead…" he mumbled past his tears. "Gone…d-dead, gone…"

Gairo made to stand up, but Jaina placed a firm hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down into his seat.

"DON'T SAY IT!" Gairo yelled at Wenlu as he pointed at him. "Don't you EVER say that again! You whimpering, snot-nosed, little—"

"QUIET!" came a voice from the cockpit.

Everyone, including Kai-Li, turned to stare into the pilot's cabin. Su Beifong emerged with a pale and tear-stained face. Her normally green eyes were terribly bloodshot from crying, so much so that Asami wondered if she'd been crying this whole time. Undoubtedly she had been, and who could blame her?

"Quiet…" Su mumbled as fresh tears poured down her cheeks. She continued giving her metalbenders a fierce look, despite her stricken expression. "You should be _ashamed_, Gairo." The male metalbender in question hung his head at Su's words.

Su walked the length of the escape pod and sat next to Wenlu, wrapping him with one arm. The sobbing metalbender leaned into her embrace without saying anything. Or at least he didn't say anything coherent, though he continued to mumble and groan to himself through his sobs. Su tried to stifle a few cries as she held him, but her pain and grief wouldn't allow her to hide it.

It truly was heartbreaking to see them like this. Asami averted her eyes and stared down at her shoes. Her sensory-link with Korra felt as if it were about to overload due to the extreme emotions on display in this small pod. Asami felt Korra's hand slide into hers as they deepened their connection, and suddenly the escape pod filled with a strange ambient glow.

Asami gasped along with Korra as they both beheld the source of this soft light. Su and Wenlu, still sitting together in grief, were emitting this strange illumination. It wasn't like how lightbulbs work; that is to say, their bodies weren't _creating _the light and sending it outwards. Su and Wenlu's weird glow didn't exactly come _from _them as much as it did from _around _them. Like an aura of sadness, their emotional collapse had suddenly become visible to Asami and Korra. Asami glanced at Kai-Li, Jaina, and Gairo to see if they could also see this light, but all three hung their heads as they shared Su and Wenlu's anguish. They couldn't see it.

But Asami and Korra really _were _sharing their sadness. The overwhelming grief inside this small escape pod colored the interior with a faint turquoise luminescence. Every metalbender's body was softly wrapped in the ambient glow that their sadness had created.

Asami looked down at her and Korra's linked hands. Their fingers were laced tightly together, and they both still had one arm around the other. _Is it our hands? _Asami wondered. _Maybe this link requires our hands, somehow._

To test this theory, Asami lifted her arm from around Korra, though she still kept holding her hand. The soft glow didn't disappear, however. Korra looked around at Asami when she had let go of her. When they locked eyes again, they both gasped even louder.

Korra's eyes were _purple_. And judging by Korra's reaction when she'd seen Asami's eyes, Asami guessed that her own normally-green orbs were now a different color. Korra's once-blue eyes weren't glowing, they were just…purple. In fact, they had turned into a rather lustrous violet color. Although it looked beautiful on Korra, this sudden change in eye-color made Asami faintly queasy. _What the hell…_she thought. She reached up to place her hand on Korra's left cheek, rubbing her thumb just under her eye. Korra did the same to her with her free hand, and they both gazed into each other's recently-changed eyes.

In her peripheral vision, Asami saw Kai-Li look up at the two of them. _Crap,_ Asami thought, _what if she sees Korra's eyes? Or mine, for that matter._

But before Asami dared to look at Kai-Li, the escape pod veered violently to one side. Everybody yelled out as the pod lurched to and fro, materials and metal things bouncing around inside the cabin as their small craft jittered and shuddered terribly. Gairo fell from his seat during this sudden upheaval, though everyone else managed to stay in place.

Just as quickly as this surge of motion had come, it ceased.

"Uhh…damn," Asami groaned, rubbing her head with one hand. Her skull had bounced off the metal wall behind her, and he neck ached from whiplash.

"What…was that?" Korra said next to her. She had both arms clasped tightly around Asami's middle.

As Gairo got up from the floor, Su said, "I think we've landed."


	19. Chapter 18: Stranded (Part 2)

CHAPTER XVIII: STRANDED

PART: II

"Landed," Korra breathed. "Landed where?" Although they had evidently crash-landed, Korra couldn't hide the relief and hopefulness from her voice.

"I…don't know," Su groaned as she rubbed her neck, then continued with a sigh. "But I do know that we're not at the refueling station: we wouldn't have arrived there for another day, at least."

_Dammit,_ Korra thought. She'd been hoping that their collective nightmare was finally over, but it didn't seem like that was the case just yet. However, they were on _dry land_, and that fact alone was enough to lift Korra's spirits.

Everyone but Wenlu looked towards the door. The little porthole that served as a window was dark, and Korra couldn't see out of it: it was nighttime, so the glass only reflected what little light there was inside the pod. The door itself, however, had taken quite a beating during their crash, and it had gained a few new bumps and dents along the way. Korra imagined that they must have accidently beached their escape pod onto the shore of…wherever they were.

Su tried to get up from her seat next to Wenlu but failed as her wobbly knees gave out. Jaina and Gairo helped her up as Wenlu continued to sob in absolute silence. Korra had never seen someone cry for so long, especially like _this_. Wenlu's tears seemed never-ending, as did his anguish, yet he hadn't made a sound this whole time apart from occasionally mumbling to himself. Su, Jaina and Gairo ignored him as they worked to open the escape pod's door.

Korra was still holding tight to Asami. During the escape pod's shuddering and jolting crash, she'd wrapped both of her arms around Asami to keep herself in her seat, though it made her feel somewhat silly. She sensed that she was squeezing Asami a little _too _tight (her ribs were still healing, after all), so Korra eased her grip and sat up straight in her chair. Korra kept one arm around her, though, and Asami returned the gesture by looping an arm around her waist.

Respite, hopefulness, and the ever-present euphoria had been flooding Korra's mind since she'd awoken during Kai-Li's story, thanks to her link with Asami. Her hope had been dashed at Su's words, at least a little, but the nearly mind-numbing euphoria simply wouldn't leave, provided that she sustained her connection with Asami. Even during Su and Wenlu's shared anguish—which had become so palpable that she and Asami could _see _it—Korra had felt marvelous. But she was starting to wonder if their new connection would have any long-term effects.

For one thing, she'd just seen Asami's eyes change colors. After marveling at Su and Wenlu's visible sorrow, she'd turned to look at Asami right before the crash, at which point she'd discovered that Asami's eyes were now a vibrant yellow—practically the color of polished gold. It had been utterly mesmerizing when she'd stared into those once-green-but-now-yellow orbs, and Asami had gasped as well when they'd locked eyes.

_Does that mean my eyes changed, too? For spirit's sake, what's going on with us, _Korra wondered as she watched the Metal Clan work on the door.

Su and her metalbenders forced the door open with their bending, and the sweet sound of gently crushing waves filled the escape pod. The most noticeable change was the flood of fresh air into the pod's cabin, and Korra breathed deep as the salty breeze of ocean air rejuvenated her lungs. She felt Asami take in a lungful as well, as did everyone in the escape pod. They'd been cramped inside this small vessel for several hours, not to mention the harrowing journey they'd had in the original submarine. Needless to say, everyone was ready to get out.

"Alright," Su said to Jaina and Gairo. "Let's have a look." Su turned around to glance at Korra, Asami, and Kai-Li. "We'll be just outside, so speak up if you need anything."

The three women nodded at Su, and the older metalbender walked out of the escape pod with Jaina and Gairo. As she passed Wenlu she patted his shoulder gently, but the sobbing man either ignored it or didn't notice as he continued moaning to himself.

Korra had noticed that Su didn't act strangely when she'd looked at her or Asami. _Can she not see our eyes? _Korra wondered. She had also noticed that the other metalbenders hadn't gasped at the soft glow of grief earlier, so Korra assumed that they couldn't see that, either. Only she and Asami—no doubt because of their new link—had seen their grief become tangible. It made sense that the others might not be able to see their new eye-color as well.

Korra took a small steadying breath and turned to look at Asami. To her surprise, the raven-haired woman's eyes were back to their beautiful shade of green. Although it wasn't exactly disappointing, Korra had wanted to further examine Asami's new gold-colored eyes. It was comforting, however, to look back into her usual emerald spheres. Korra loved Asami's eyes, perhaps no matter what color they were…though she _was _partial to Asami's normal green.

Asami's brows lifted slightly as she looked back into Korra's eyes.

"Did my…?" Korra asked.

"Yeah," Asami breathed. "Me too…?"

"Yeah." So Korra had been right: _both _of their eyes had momentarily changed colors. Why, she didn't know. She lifted her hand up to Asami's cheek again, massaging the white-skinned woman's cheekbone with her thumb. Since she now had both hands on Asami, their sensory-link flared with renewed vitality. Korra inhaled. Asami exhaled. _I could get used to this_, Korra thought. Naturally, her eyes migrated to Asami's lips (and further down) as their connection flooded Korra's veins with pleasure, but she contained her urges. For now.

Kai-Li coughed loudly to butt-in. "Do one of you…mind cutting me loose?"

Korra released Asami's cheek to look at Kai-Li. The blonde metalbender was still strapped to her seat. "Uh…" Korra said as she inspected Kai-Li's still-damp-with-blood uniform. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Kai-Li."

The blonde woman coughed harshly again, though this time it sounded much more painful. "Please…my arm…" she stuttered. Kai-Li tilted her head to one side to indicate her left arm. It had gotten caught in an awkward position behind her back during the crash, and it was causing her significant pain.

Asami saw it too, and she stood up to brace Kai-Li by the shoulders, which was just about the only part of her that _wasn't _damp with blood. "Korra," Asami said.

"Got it." Korra reached over from her seat to press the release button on Kai-Li's seatbelt. As she did so, Korra noticed how completely drab this escape pod really was, now that she wasn't linked to Asami. Everything seemed so _dull_: the colors, the sounds, even the sweet and salty scent of that glorious ocean breeze had been nullified when she let go of Asami.

Kai-Li's seatbelt-prison retracted away from her, and as it did so she yelped in agony. Asami held her steady when the blonde woman flopped forward onto her. Fortunately, Jaina and Gairo reappeared and relieved Asami of her task, so she sat next to Korra again.

Korra immediately laced her fingers through Asami's. She felt every one of her muscles relax as their magnificent connection reignited. It was like she'd been wearing sunglasses that were too dark, but reconnecting with Asami was like lifting those shades off and seeing the world for the first time.

_I could definitely get used to this._

Jaina and Gairo lifted the armrests of several seats so that Kai-Li could lie down across them. There were several heavy blankets in their supply cabinet, and they draped one of these over Kai-Li's injured body to keep the cold out. Indeed, Korra had already observed the stinging bite that the outside air carried.

"Where's Su?" Korra asked Jaina and Gairo. She hadn't come back inside with them to help Kai-Li.

"Digging," Gairo growled as he patted Kai-Li's forehead with a damp cloth.

_Digging? For what?_

"Why's she doing that?" Korra asked. Neither Jaina nor Gairo replied as they tended to Kai-Li, and Asami just shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll give you some space," Asami said suddenly. She nodded at Korra and leaned close so that she could wrap one arm around her. Korra placed one arm around Asami's shoulders and braced herself against the wall with the other. Asami stood slowly, bringing Korra up with her, and together they managed to make it out of the escape pod in this fashion. Poor Wenlu was now huddled up against the corner of the vessel, his knees pulled in to his chest while he sobbed. Korra and Asami could only ignore him as they exited the pod.

Korra felt her old humiliation and embarrassment return as she leaned heavily on Asami. For an instant before standing, Korra had been stricken with fear as she realized that they'd left her wheelchair on the submarine. She was aware that her legs had been getting somewhat better lately, mostly thanks to Kya's superb healing, but Korra still couldn't stand unaided. While she held tight to Asami, it very much surprised Korra when her legs didn't ache nearly as much as they used to. Their sensory-link picked up the tingling pain in Korra's legs and dispersed it evenly between Asami and Korra's bodies, effectively reducing it to a mere annoyance.

"Asami…" Korra said as they walked around the escape pod. "Do you feel it?"

"Yes," she answered her. Asami didn't say any more, and Korra was secretly glad.

Through their otherworldly link, Asami could now get a glimpse of the pain in Korra's legs. The very same pain that had been present since the aftermath of her fight with Zaheer, the same pain that always appeared whenever she tried to stand. As horrible as this pain was, Korra's new link with Asami worked furiously to disperse it across the two of them. She could still feel that tingling, numbing agony, but it was only in passing. Korra felt it rise up out of her legs and travel into Asami, and from there it cycled through the black-haired woman and back into Korra in an endless circle.

She felt terrible for subjecting Asami to some of her pain…but Korra was also ecstatic at being able to walk while connected to her. It was a very bittersweet moment, to say the least.

They leaned against the outside of the escape pod to rest for a moment as they took in their surroundings. Just as Korra had guessed, their vessel had run aground on this island, and there was a very large scar on the beach where the escape pod had ground to a halt. The pulsing sound of waves flowing back and forth across the beach was music to Korra's ears, as was the salty breeze that gently opened her nostrils. It was indeed fairly cold here, though. Korra didn't think much of it: they were heading to the South Pole, after all. At the very least, they had passed underneath the equator even before leaving the Metal Clan sub, and they had continued to travel south during their escape.

With the ocean and beachfront on her right, Korra turned to the left to examine the rest of this island. Deep and dark brush stared back at her, and even with her enhanced sensory-link vision, Korra couldn't see very far into the forest that no doubt dominated this land mass. Su had been right, she realized. This definitely wasn't the refueling station that they'd been heading for. This island was only one among several chains of islands that are devoid of any human life. These barren stretches of land become very common as you get closer to either Pole, as the gradually declining climate forces people to gather together at the Southern or Northern Water Tribes. Korra knew that they were alone on this island, apart from whatever wildlife may reside here.

_Where is Su, _Korra wondered. Gairo had said she was 'digging,' but the Metal Clan matriarch was nowhere in sight.

Asami put one of her hands over Korra's. Korra titled her head up to look into Asami's eyes again, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of them as they changed back into gold. After a moment of eye-locking, though, Asami's eyes remained their usual beautiful green, so Korra rested her head on Asami's shoulder.

Asami sighed. "So what now?" she said with a hint of desperation.

"I…don't know," Korra replied. After all of her adventures with Asami and Team Avatar, Korra had long since gotten used to being asked that. After all, it was collectively called 'Team Avatar' for a reason: Korra had always commanded something of a leadership role…but that didn't mean she necessarily enjoyed it. Korra was just as exasperated as Asami was, so her lack of an answer didn't bother Asami.

"What a wild ride, huh?" Korra joked. Asami's small laugh shook Korra's head gently while she rested her head on her shoulder. The small movement aroused Korra slightly, though that was mostly due to their connection. It was rather difficult to contain her arousal while she was linked to Asami, thanks to the near-constant flow of euphoria coursing through her body.

"You can say that again," Asami sighed.

Korra grinned broadly, though Asami couldn't see it. "What a wild ride, huh?" she repeated to tease her. Asami playfully jabbed her with one elbow, and they both giggled a bit at the small joke.

After another moment Asami sighed again. She was idly twining her fingers through Korra's while staring at the ground, and Korra knew Asami well enough to know that this gesture meant she was thinking about something.

Korra squeezed her hand gently. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Asami replied immediately, but evidently she changed her mind. "Well, actually…I don't know how to say this." Korra lifted her head to look at her. "Korra," Asami continued, "I—"

Suddenly the ground rumbled underneath their feet. It began rather softly, but over time the small rumble gradually increased to near-earthquake status. Korra wrapped one arm over Asami's shoulders as they both stood up and backed away from the escape pod.

Before Korra could yell at the metalbenders inside the pod, a small patch of sand and dirt erupted out of the ground a few feet from Korra and Asami. They both shielded their eyes as sand rained down on them. When the scene had cleared, Korra was surprised to see Su standing next to a gaping hole in the ground.

"Su?" Korra said. "What are you—"

"Just setting up camp," the Metal Clan woman said nonchalantly. She saw that Korra and Asami were covered in sand, so she blushed slightly. "Sorry about that. Come on in and sit down, you two." Su waved for them to join her and then descended back into the hole she'd just emerged from, walking down it like a flight of stairs.

Asami walked Korra over to this new chasm in the sand. "Wow," she and Korra breathed as they inspected Su's handiwork.

Indeed, a small earthen staircase led downward into the ground, and Su disappeared at the foot of the steps. Korra and Asami exchanged a surprised glance, but they carefully walked down the steps to follow Su, Korra still leaning on Asami for support. Once they'd arrived at the bottom of these sandy stairs, they received another shock. Su had used her earthbending to hollow out an extensive artificial cavern under the island. She'd even stuck several flashlights and lamps into the walls to create some ambient light. They were currently standing in a large, open and circular room, and Su had pushed away several sections of earth to create separate rooms around this one. These hollowed-out rooms lined the outside of this central area, much like chairs placed around a circular table. Admittedly, these hollow rooms were just that: they were hollow spaces carved out of the surrounding earth, but that didn't lessen the awe Korra felt from this impressive feat of earthbending.

Su gestured around the cave. "Well, what do you think? Better than sharing one tiny escape pod, right?"

Korra and Asami both nodded their agreement. "Much better," Korra said.

Korra counted seven separate rooms. "There's one for each of us," Su said as she noticed Korra inspecting them. "Although, you two can share one if you like." The Metal Clan woman smiled coyly at them, and Korra returned the gesture.

"Thanks, Su. This is incredible," she replied. Korra felt her cheeks blush a little as she imagined spending an actual restful night with Asami. It was hard to believe that a mere twenty-four hours ago she'd fallen asleep in Asami's arms after a long bout of kissing. Although she was very tired, Korra felt a renewed surge of energy (and a renewed blush) as she imagined an _alternate_ way of spending the evening with Asami.

"I'm going to check on the others," Su said as she walked back toward the steps. "We'll bring in blankets for the night, and I'll have Jaina and Gairo gather some firewood as well." When she had one foot on the first step, Su halted and turned back to look at Asami. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here," she said, handing a piece of paper to Asami.

"What's this?" Asami asked as she took it. She turned it over in her hands, and even Korra felt Asami's confusion as she examined it.

Su shrugged. "I don't know. After I left you two with Rory…" Su gulped her emotions down as she said the deceased metalbender's name. She took a deep breath and continued. "After I left you with Rory in the escape pod, Menji and I went to your room in the submarine to gather what luggage we could. I saw that letter on the floor and picked it up, but the other _traitors _attacked us right then. For whatever reason, I stuffed that letter in my pocket as we ran." Su gestured at the earth next to Korra and Asami, causing a small earthen bench to rise up for them to sit on, then she turned and ascended the steps. "Hope it's good news," she called after them as she walked out.

"Who's it from?" Korra asked Asami. She noticed that Asami hadn't opened it yet.

Asami still looked utterly flabbergasted. "It's from FlameCo," she said. "I've had it since before we went to the City that night." Korra shivered as she remembered that terrible night, the night that Asami had suggested they sneak off Air Temple Island to have dinner in Republic City. Now that she thought about it, she did remember that an air acolyte had delivered a letter to Asami earlier that same day. That was also the night that Tenora's thugs had first attacked them.

Korra did _not _want to remember that last bit.

"Well," Korra prompted her as they sat on Su's makeshift bench. "Open it."

Korra watched as Asami broke the wax seal on the tip of the letter's lip to lift it up and extract the neatly folded letter inside. Asami had released Korra to do this, so their connection had disappeared for now. Korra so wanted to maintain their link, so she looped her arm around Asami's middle while she read the letter. Korra had reestablished their link just in time to feel dread and fear pump out of Asami and into herself.

"What is it?" Korra asked right away.

Asami's hands were shaking a little as she continued reading. "No…_no_…"

"Asami, what's it say?" Korra wanted to know what was causing her such grief, but she also didn't want to be too nosy. She knew FlameCo was one of Future Industries' top suppliers, so she didn't want to pry into Asami's business life. Korra was, unfortunately, not very much help in that department.

"This whole thing couldn't been avoided…those _people _wouldn't be…" Asami stammered. Her hands were trembling really badly now, and tears had begun to pour down her face.

"Asami…"

The raven-haired Sato heiress suddenly stoop up from the earthen bench, crumbling the letter into a ball as she did so. Asami screamed out loud with rage and threw the crumpled letter at the far wall. She paced back and forth several times—swearing loudly the whole time—before collapsing back onto the bench with Korra, who wrapped her in a tight hug while Asami sobbed uncontrollably.

"_Fuck _him…all my fault, _my _fault, Korra," Asami mumbled past her tears. "Su's people…Air Temple Island…_my _fault." Asami was squeezing Korra almost too tightly, but Korra let her do it. She knew what it was like to feel such rage, and personal experience had taught her that it was best to let it out sometimes. But Korra had never seen Asami like this. She wanted to know what the letter had been about.

"Asami," Korra whispered, "don't say that, please. None of this is your—"

"Yes it is, Korra!" Asami pulled away to look at her. For the first time in years, Korra found Asami's gaze hard to hold. Her normally beautiful face was contorted from misery and outrage, and her tears continuously streamed down her cheeks. But she maintained the eye-contact for Asami's sake.

"I could've stopped this," Asami mumbled. She gestured all around them. "I could've stopped _all _of this, Korra." She sniffled several times before continuing. "FlameCo knew. They _knew _about Tenora, and they tried to warn me. If I'd only read this letter before…all those _people_, Korra…"

She broke down again and leaned back into Korra's embrace. Asami sobbed onto Korra's bare shoulders, but Korra could only shush her gently while she held her. Korra didn't know what to say. _How had FlameCo known that Tenora would attack us_, she thought.

Su reappeared again as she leapt down the last few stairs. "I heard yelling, is everything—" she trailed off when she saw Korra holding a crying Asami.

Korra pointed at the crumpled letter by Su's feet. The Metal Clan leader picked it up and carefully unfurled it, but she didn't read it. Su had always had a keen awareness for other people's emotions, which undoubtedly served her well in leading a whole city, so instead of examining it herself she handed it to Korra.

Asami continued sobbing against her while Korra read the letter with one hand. It was printed in typical typewriter font, but the header and signature at the bottom both seemed very formal and foreign to Korra. Considering the urgent and disturbing content of this letter, it seemed rather strange that it was still so professionally created, but she didn't expect anything less from FlameCo.

"_My dear Miss A. Sato,_

_ I regret bringing this to your attention, as I had hoped to personally resolve this matter within Fire Nation territory, but the situation has devolved drastically. You will not hear of this from any other source, but our lead researcher, Mr. Kyomora Waisuh, has been assassinated, and top-secret files have been stolen from our archives._

_ The culprit is none other than your own Vice President, Sahno Tenora. He personally infiltrated our research department two weeks ago to commit this horrendous crime. We are still working diligently to determine what—and how much—information he stole, but I fear he has discovered the existence of the Sanguinary Construct. Unfortunately, Tenora escaped our clutches and it still at large. I mentioned that you won't hear of this from any other source: Tenora is somehow controlling our radio towers. That is also why you are reading this letter instead of conversing with me through radio._

_ Trust no one, Miss Sato. Sahno Tenora is a highly dangerous bloodbender, a fact that I myself was not aware of, and he possesses a truly terrible gift for human manipulation. I am sending my very best firebenders to guard you until this matter is resolved. I urge you to cut all ties with Tenora, Future Industries, and anyone else until such time as we can capture him. Even your most trusted allies can be turned into Tenora's pawns, and I fear he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. _

_ I understand your father, Hiroshi Sato, has been imprisoned for quite some time. I will attempt to make contact with the Republic City police to arrange for his temporary release. Both of your lives are in jeopardy. Tenora will no doubt come for you, Miss Sato, though by the time you receive this letter my security force will have arrived in Republic City. Use extreme caution._

_ Yours truly,_

_ Nato M. Ritsuke, CEO FlameCo, Inc._


	20. Chapter 19: Stranded (Part 3)

CHAPTER XIX: STRANDED

PART: III

The next hour became a blur in Korra's memory. After reading the letter from FlameCo, she understood exactly what Asami had meant when she said she could've prevented all those Metal Clan deaths. But that didn't mean Korra agreed with her, though she'd never say that to Asami. Of course Asami would feel guilty about the entire affair: Tenora was after _her_, and had killed countless people on the submarine and airship to get her.

However, Korra didn't think any of it could have been prevented, even if Asami had read the letter on the day she received it.

Instead of talking about it, she continued to hold Asami while she sobbed against Korra's shoulder. Through her peripherals, Korra saw Su walk back out of their new cave to fetch the other metalbenders. The camp gradually filled up as Jaina and Gairo brought in several armfuls of blankets and tarps for everyone's new earthen rooms. They then carried Kai-Li in and laid her in one of the side rooms that surrounded this large open area. Su and Wenlu came last, with the poor man still crying in silence while Su helped him walk. Jaina earthbended several more makeshift benches out of the ground before creating a large shallow pit in the center of the room. Gairo reappeared with a load of sticks and underbrush, and he threw these into the pit and began trying to light a fire. It was very dark outside by now as night fully set in over the island.

Korra saw all of this activity through brief glimpses, as she was only paying attention to Asami. After a while she'd stopped sobbing, though Korra's bare shoulder was thoroughly soaked by that time. Asami's breathing had become labored as it came in short gasps. Neither of them had spoken this whole time.

_What should I say? What could I possibly say to make her feel better, _Korra thought. She didn't like seeing Asami like this, not one bit, but what she hated even more was not knowing what to do. So she just sat there and stroked Asami's hair.

Gairo had finally managed to light the fire, so he got up quickly to gather more kindling for their camp. He returned a few minutes later with some rather sizeable logs, having cut them from the surrounding forest with his metalbending, and he placed a few of them into the small flames. After another five minutes he had coaxed this small flame into a roaring bonfire, and they all appreciated the warmth it supplied.

Su had collected some of the canned food from the escape pod, even bringing a few metal bowls in with her, and she gave each of the metalbenders a heap of some sloppy-looking soup after heating it next to the fire. Korra declined the bowl offered to her, and Su nodded without a word. Su placed Korra and Asami's food next to them on the bench before tending to Kai-Li, who moaned from her room. Korra heard Su quietly arguing with Kai-Li, and after another moment she brought the blonde woman into the central campfire room to sit on one of the benches to eat. Gairo, Jaina, and Wenlu ate their chunky soup in silence. Jaina and Gairo were sitting together on a bench, but Wenlu had taken a spot on the floor against the wall. Still no word from this miserable metalbender.

Korra was still holding Asami against her shoulder. It had been so long since she'd made a sound that Korra wondered if she'd fallen asleep in this position.

"Kai-Li, you should rest," Su said quietly. Korra turned to see Su frowning slightly at the blonde woman, who was now ladling large scoops of soup into her mouth. Korra also noticed that the other metalbenders had evidently changed Kai-Li's clothes, as she was no longer clad in her blood-soaked uniform. She was wearing a simple dark-green tunic with matching loose-fitting pants. Kai-Li's vibrant blonde hair shone like molten gold in the firelight, but the light also made it abundantly clear how pale her skin had become. She'd lost an enormous amount of blood, and even in fresh clothes she didn't look much better.

"With all due respect, ma'am," Kai-Li said between mouthfuls and winces, "I think…the worst of it is over. I'm fine for now."

Su sighed sadly. "But Kai-Li…your ribs—"

"Madam Beifong," Kai-Li interrupted. She placed her bowl of slop on her lap for a moment to look up at Su. This injured blonde metalbender was sitting right next to Su, but she was so diminutive that the older woman towered over her. "Please…it helps me to be with you all. I need…the company." Her tone was somehow rebellious yet respectful, and despite her shortness of breath she managed to speak loudly to assert herself.

Korra had to hide a small smile so that Su wouldn't see it. Perhaps nearly dying had given Kai-Li a large boost in the attitude department, or maybe she had always been like this. The short blonde woman held Su's gaze for another moment before continuing her ravenous feeding.

Apparently, Kai-Li had always had somewhat of an attitude. "What am I going to do with you, Kai-Li," Su mumbled with a sigh, though the corners of her mouth betrayed her smile.

Asami lifted her head from Korra's shoulder, and Korra turned back immediately to look at her. The whites of Asami's eyes were terribly bloodshot from her crying, but that wasn't all Korra noticed about them. Asami's emerald eyes momentarily flashed a golden color as Korra looked into them.

"Korra," Asami whispered. Her voice had become hoarse from all her sobbing, and she cleared her throat to regain her normal tone.

"Asami, there's nothing you could've done," Korra said. As soon as the words came out, Korra cringed at how stupid they must have sounded. She was trying to comfort Asami, not add to her already-overflowing sense of helplessness. And Korra _knew _she was feeling helpless: her link with Asami told her as much. But she frankly didn't know what to say at a time like this.

Thankfully, Su spoke up from the other side of the campfire. By this time the metalbenders had all finished eating. "I think we should all get some rest," Su said with a heavy sigh. "I'll take first watch. Gairo and Jaina, we three will rotate every hour, so go on and get some sleep."

Jaina and Gairo were sitting together on the rock-bench next to Su and Kai-Li, and Jaina nodded her agreement. Korra saw Gairo shoot Wenlu a dark glance. Wenlu didn't see it, as he was now clutching his knees to his chest and covering his face with his hands. After Gairo's outburst on the escape pod, Korra figured that the gruff-voiced metalbender had never liked poor Wenlu, and Su's order had implied that neither Wenlu nor Kai-Li would be made to keep watch tonight. That must be why Gairo was now giving Wenlu the evil-eye.

It seemed logical enough to Korra. After all, Kai-Li was severely injured and Wenlu was an emotional wreck.

Korra wasn't the only one who saw Gairo's dark look. "I can…keep watch, too," Kai-Li said, hoping to ease some of the tension.

Gairo's face immediately slackened. "No, that's alright Kai-Li. I can do a double watch, you should rest."

Su laid a hand on Kai-Li's shoulder. "You don't have to do this, we don't think any less of you—"

"I _want _to keep watch," Kai-Li argued. "I appreciate…your concern, but I want to…do my part. I can't fight, I can hardly walk…I can barely _breathe_. But I can…at least do this."

Korra bowed her head in shame a little. _Kai-Li's tougher than I'll ever be,_ she thought. Kai-Li's sense of helplessness—and her desire to pull her own weight—was something that Korra could relate to. Throughout the past several months, Korra had been in nearly the same position that Kai-Li was in now: Korra _still _couldn't walk unaided, she couldn't bend any of the elements (without some dire need), and she very much hated feeling like a giant sympathy-magnet. Yes, she appreciated everyone wanting to help her, but she's the _Avatar_. People should be asking Korra for help, not the other way around. Korra still hated her own helplessness, even though by now she'd gotten used to it.

Korra nearly gasped at that realization. _For spirit's sake, I'm actually used to being helpless. I'm nothing like Kai-Li. Well, enough is enough._

"We can take a turn, as well," Korra spoke up suddenly. She looked at Asami to see if she agreed, and the black-haired beauty nodded her head.

Su smiled and held up her hands. "Alright, alright. Everyone may take a turn at keeping watch tonight." She glanced at Wenlu, who was still covering his face. Su got up from the bench and walked over to kneel next to him. Korra couldn't hear what she whispered to Wenlu, but the sobbing metalbender got up from the floor and Su led him into one of the carved-out rooms to lie down.

Gairo grunted and folded his arms. "Everyone but _him_," he mumbled. This remark earned him a swift elbow in the ribs from Jaina, as well as a reproachful look from the skinny female Metal Clan officer.

Su returned a moment later. "OK," she said, "I'll take first watch. The rotation will go me, Gairo, Jaina, Korra and Asami, then Kai-Li." She paused to see if anyone objected to this watch-rotation. No one did, so Su resumed her spot on the rock-bench. Gairo and Jaina got up and escorted Kai-Li to one of the rooms to rest before her watch, then they too each chose a room to sleep in.

The metalbenders had already lined each room with tarps, blankets and sleeping-bags to create makeshift beds. Now only Korra, Asami and Su remained in the campfire room. "If either of you feel up to it, you can take your turns separately," Su said to them. "I just figured you might want to stay up together." She gave them both a warm smile.

_Does Su know…? _Korra wondered. The older Metal Clan woman had an uncanny amount of empathy, something that her sister, Lin Beifong, severely lacked. Perhaps Su had figured out Korra and Asami's mutual attraction.

"Thanks," Korra said, though she felt embarrassed at being put on the spot like that. Of course she wanted to keep watch _with _Asami, but she immediately thought of Kai-Li. If Korra and Asami both kept watch separately, that would give the injured woman—and everyone else—more time to rest. Was Korra just being selfish?

Su seemed to know what Korra was thinking. "Nobody will say anything about it. If they do, they'll have to deal with me, so you two go get some rest. Jaina will wake you when it's your turn for the watch."

Korra and Asami nodded their thanks to Su, and with Asami's help they both walked into one of the hollowed-out rooms. It still astonished Korra that she was able to walk while she was linked to Asami, but once again she felt terrible for letting Asami feel a portion of the pain in her legs.

Once they were inside the earthen room, Korra noticed that it was L-shaped to create a little privacy. The majority of the room made up the longer part of the L, while the opening that served as a door was at the end of the shorter leg. A tarp had been laid out to cover the soil floor, and a heap of blankets and one sleeping bag were piled in one corner. Two battery-powered lamps placed near the opening illuminated this small mini-cave. The electric-yellow light from the lamps gave this L-shaped room a weird ambient glow as Korra and Asami's shadows passed in front of the light source.

Su appeared behind them suddenly, which startled Korra a bit. "Here, you'll need this," she said as she threw an extra sleeping bag into the room. Su winked at them and added, "They're not big enough for two, so take it easy." And with that she left the room.

Korra sat against the wall with her legs stretched out in front of her while she watched Asami assemble their makeshift beds. She laid out one large blanket over the tarp-covered floor, then followed that up with both sleeping bags. Asami laid these next to each other on top of the blanket. Each sleeping bag had one pillow inside it, but there were still two blankets left over to use as extra cushion.

By this time Asami was out of breath from putting together their sleeping arrangements. "Well," she said, "it's nothing like Air Temple Island, but it'll do. What do you think?" she asked Korra.

Korra was still sitting against the wall examining her legs. _Why won't they get better naturally?_

"Korra?"

"Hmm?" Korra hummed. She hadn't heard Asami's earlier question.

Asami saw that she'd been looking at her legs, and apparently Korra's expression wasn't too positive. She walked over and sat next to Korra on the cool earthen floor, sliding her back down the wall to join her.

Asami laced her fingers through Korra's hand and laid her head on her shoulder, and their sensory-link sparked to life. "I'm so tired," she sighed.

"Yeah, me too," Korra agreed as she matched Asami's sigh with one of her own. "Hey…do you think Su knows about us? I mean, you know…_us_." Korra blushed at her own question, which made her feel silly for asking in the first place. She didn't really care if Su knew or not, and if she _did_, the older woman obviously didn't mind.

"I know she does," Asami said matter-of-factly. "We kinda talked about it on the submarine. She guessed that we were, so she asked me about it."

"Oh," was Korra's reply.

"Besides," Asami continued with a teasing hint in her voice, "you kissed me in front of everyone in the escape pod."

"You say that as if you didn't kiss back!"

Asami closed her eyes as if she had ignored that remark. "I never said I didn't _like _it, I'm just saying…"

"Just saying what?" Korra had let go of Asami's hand during this back-and-forth teasing episode. She poised herself to make her body face toward Asami, ready for the imminent attack.

"I was just saying," Asami resumed, using the power of her maximum-teasing-voice, "that you might be a little too forward for me, Korra. I'm more of a _traditional_ girl, you know."

"Traditional, my ass," Korra whispered before plunging her hands at Asami's sides. She was careful to not hurt Asami during her tickling assault, but Asami herself grabbed Korra's shoulders and playfully pushed her onto the sleeping bags. Asami jumped on top of her to straddle Korra and returned fire with her own tickling. They were both trying very hard to keep quiet during this all-out tickle war, but Asami's jabbing fingers practically forced Korra into sobbing-laughs.

"S-s-stop it," Korra whispered through her laughing-tears, though she herself continued to work her fingers at Asami's sides.

Asami was also tearing up from the amusement. She grabbed both of Korra's ribs to halt the tickle-fight for a moment. "You…started it," she said while she recovered. "You're gonna wake everyone up."

They both rested for a moment like this, Asami still on top of Korra holding her wrists. Then without warning, Asami put Korra's arms above her head on the floor and laid across them with one arm, forcing Korra into a very susceptible-to-tickling position. With her other hand, Asami tore into Korra's most ticklish area, that very soft spot right below the last rib. Korra snorted loudly from laughter as new tears leaked out from under her clenched eyelids.

"S-s-sami...quit, p-please…" Korra moaned through her laughter. The intensity of Asami's tickling reached a breaking point at that moment. Either Korra was about to die from laughter, or she was already dead. With her eyes clenched tight from hilarity she couldn't tell which it was.

But then the tickling stopped, and Asami released Korra's arms. Before Korra could open her eyes to retaliate, she felt Asami's hands on her face and a new sudden pressure against her lips. Instinct took over as she kept her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around Asami's neck to pull her closer.

_How long has it been since I've kissed her like this? _It seemed nearly impossible that it had only been barely more than twenty-four hours since she and Asami had fallen asleep together in their room on Su's submarine.

But Korra didn't think about that. She didn't think about what had happened after their breakfast that day. She didn't think about how Tenora was bat-shit crazy, nor did she think about Timori's attack. Korra didn't think about any of that just now, because the lips that were pressed against her own demanded that she didn't.

Korra encircled Asami's neck with her arms to pull her even closer. Asami got down from her straddling position to almost lay on top of Korra as they deepened their kiss. Korra felt Asami's hands begin to wander, and they explored the depths of Korra's chocolate-brown hair as she ran her fingers through it.

Moments like this made Korra nearly laugh at how she used to feel about Asami. Before they'd revealed their mutual attraction, Korra had been embarrassed whenever she thought about telling Asami how she felt.

Now she had her hands on Asami's hips as she tried to find the hem of Asami's tunic, their lips still pressed firmly together. Funny how life plays out.

Asami finished running her fingers through Korra's hair, so her hands returned to cup her face as this make-out session continued. Korra had found the bottom of Asami's tunic, so she now ran her own hands up her bare back, pulling the tunic up with her hands. She felt very pleased when she noticed Asami's skin flare with goose-bumps. Korra didn't take the tunic off of Asami, but her lily-white stomach and chest were now somewhat exposed. If Korra's eyes were open, she would have seen Asami's dark lace bra.

When Korra maneuvered her hands up Asami's midriff and onto her shoulder-blades (still underneath the tunic), Asami gasped and momentarily broke the kiss.

"Your hands are cold," she whispered with a smile before reconnecting their lips.

If Korra's hands were cold, then Asami's skin was very warm. She slowly worked her hands down from Asami's shoulders before coming to a halt on the strap to Asami's bra.

Korra's mind kicked into overdrive as she considered undoing that strap. Just two small hooks were all that stood between her and a braless Asami. After that, it would be a simple matter to pull the tunic off of her, but did Asami _want _her to take it off? Korra knew Asami wanted _her_, and she herself definitely wanted Asami, but did either of them want it right here and now, with all the other metalbenders so close by?

Korra toyed with the bra-strap as she continued kissing Asami, sort of like asking '_is this OK?_' Asami didn't stop kissing her, so Korra took that as a '_yes_.'

With one quick motion of Korra's hands, Asami's bra came loose.

Her tunic was still pulled up to her shoulders from Korra's exploring hands, so Asami's dark lace bra fell onto Korra's chest before sliding to the floor next to them. This small accomplishment sent a wave of euphoria through Korra, and she knew Asami could feel it, too. Korra was intimately aware of Asami's hand on her own chest as it ran the length of Korra's stomach and worked its way under her sleeveless shirt. From there Asami's hand slowly crept back up Korra's stomach, and it agonizingly took its sweet time as it stroked Korra's dark skin.

But now a new question emerged into Korra's frantic imagination: _Can I touch them? _For some reason, this hadn't even crossed her mind until now—_after _Asami's breasts were exposed. Korra had used an immense amount of brain-power when she'd considered the pros and cons of taking Asami's bra off, but now that that was done…now what? She hadn't even looked at Asami's exposed chest yet, as she was still lip-locked to the raven-haired goddess above her.

Asami beat her to the punch, however. Her hand had been lightly stroking Korra's stomach under her shirt, but now it had made its way to her chest and was now gently caressing Korra outside of her own bra, and more than a few fingers peeked underneath the soft lace fabric. Korra shivered slightly, both from pleasure and from Asami's hands: they were cold, too.

_Traditional, my ass, _Korra thought. If someone's brain could smile, Korra's had to be doing so right now, because her lips were still too preoccupied.

Asami's intimate contact prompted Korra to use her own hands. From where they were on Asami's back, she gradually and methodically eased them down across Asami's plump breasts. Korra felt Asami emit a slight shiver as well. It really was sort of cold in here, though Korra hadn't noticed. Asami's chest was so warm and inviting that Korra didn't want to ever move her hands away.

If any additional thoughts were going through Korra's head at this moment, they must have sounded something like _yes-I-can't-believe-it-yes-yes_, which is exactly what her brain had said after her first kiss with Asami.

Korra felt Asami's hand—the one under her shirt—slacken a bit, as did the amount of passionate force in her lips. Korra herself eased up a bit before she even realized why. They were both exhausted, and this display of intimate affection had suddenly tired them even further. Asami slowly lowered herself to lie next to Korra, withdrawing both her caressing hand and her leg that had been between Korra's. Throughout this process she continued planting small kisses onto Korra's lips, cheeks and neck, and Korra had also released her soft grip from Asami's chest. Though she was still braless, Korra pulled Asami's tunic back down over body.

When they were both settled on their sleeping bags in each other's arms, Korra looked into Asami's eyes. Somehow she wasn't surprised to find that they were no longer green, but a shining gold. Korra reached up to stroke Asami's cheek, again using her thumb to massage the skin under Asami's left eye.

"Korra," Asami sighed. "Your eyes…"

Korra couldn't reply just yet, as she was still completely out of breath while her heart continued to skip several beats at a time. She couldn't think of any other moment in her life in which she'd been as happy as she was now. If they'd gone any further, Korra figured that her heart wouldn't have been able to cope under such extreme pleasure…but she was willing to take that risk.

"Yours too," Korra said finally. She could feel Asami's breath on her cheeks, and she wanted nothing more than to breathe her scent for the rest of her life. But Korra wondered what color her own eyes were. _Why did they change now? _

Asami snuggled closer to Korra and wrapped her arms around the Water Tribe girl. Korra pulled one of the larger blankets over them both, and before she could say another word she was asleep.

Korra dreamed about snow-capped mountains and the storm-clouds that surrounded the peaks. It would be a treacherous journey to hike up a mountain range like this, and she wondered if she was prepared for such an undertaking. Two shining sun-disks urged her forward as their radiance parted the thunderheads, and from their glorious illumination she drew the confidence she needed to succeed.

* * *

"_Avatar Korra, Miss Sato!_"

That high-pitched whisper was what Korra woke up to. At first she floundered a bit under the blanket in her half-asleep confusion, thinking that Asami was still topless and someone had walked in on them. Thankfully, neither of those had happened.

Jaina stood by the opening to Korra and Asami's room, her arms folded as she inspected how they had fallen asleep. Her earthbender-green eyes momentarily latched onto the dark lace bra on the floor next to them before running back to Korra and Asami underneath the same blanket and in each other's arms.

_Well, at least we didn't ditch all of our clothes, _Korra thought with a wry smile. _Then it would've been really obvious._

"Your turn for the watch," Jaina whispered before leaving their room.

Korra got the idea that perhaps Jaina didn't think too highly of her relationship with Asami. The metalbender's almost-disgusted glance at Asami's bra had made it pretty clear, though a single bra on the floor was hardly solid evidence of any intimate contact—even though that's exactly what _this _particular bra signified. Korra suppressed a laugh as she wondered if Jaina could have guessed who the undergarment belonged to, as both Korra and Asami had their shirts on.

"I don't think she likes us," Asami whispered in Korra's ear.

Korra had gotten pretty good at detecting Asami's teasing-voice: she had used it just now.

"Whatever," Korra replied in an equally soft whisper. "Come on, let's go."

Korra pulled the blanket away from their bodies, and with Asami's help she made it to her feet. The campfire in the other room must have died down a bit, as there wasn't as much of an orange glow coming into their room as there'd been when Korra had fallen asleep.

Before they walked out, she pointed down at Asami's discarded bra as a way of asking if she wanted to put it back on.

The Sato heiress merely scooted it into a corner with her foot. "No, but let's bring some blankets." So they each grabbed one of the smaller blankets and walked into the campfire room.

Korra was right about the fire dying down. There was only a large pile of softly glowing coals in the fire-pit, so after Asami helped Korra onto the rock-bench that faced the steps she threw three more logs onto the embers. Gairo had evidently cut more logs while they'd been dozing together, because there was now a large stock of them piled against one wall. It was still very dark outside.

Asami sat down next to Korra on the bench and wrapped herself in her blanket. They were each individually surrounded in their own blankets, but Korra laid her head on Asami's shoulder while they kept watch over the entrance to their cave-camp.

Korra yawned softly. Being enfolded in this warm blanket while sitting next to Asami with a fire behind them was making it very difficult for Korra to stay awake. She wanted to talk to Asami to stave off her sleepiness, but she didn't know what to talk about. However, the silence between them was not uncomfortable, even considering it was post-intimate.

_Asami is so different from Mako_, Korra realized. _Different from anyone, really. _Korra didn't like always comparing Asami to Mako, or vice versa, but she didn't have anyone else to compare her to. Her experience with Mako had been Korra's first and only real romantic relationship at the time…and it hadn't ended especially well. But her realization now was focused on the fact that she had always been so comfortable around Asami, and that had carried over into their romantic stage. Korra could just _be _with Asami. Neither of them had to speak for Korra to feel comfortable, and she absolutely loved it. This silence wasn't awkward, uncomfortable, tense, or forced. It just _was_: Korra adored _being _with Asami.

She yawned into Asami's shoulder again, and the raven-haired girl unfurled her blanket a little to enclose them both inside its warm embrace. Asami leaned over onto Korra's head. Korra yawned widely again.

A little known fact about yawning is that it's highly contagious, and Asami proved that by echoing Korra's yawn with one of her own. "Hey," she said, "stop that. You're making me sleepy."

_There's that teasing-voice again._

Korra buried her head further into the gap between Asami's shoulder and neck. "Su said we could take turns," she replied. "So you go first."

Asami jostled Korra's head with a small movement of her shoulder. "I don't think so, Miss Avatar. You're staying awake even if I have to force you."

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try," Korra said through another wide-mouthed yawn, her head still on Asami's shoulder. Their banter was good-natured, though it was also lazy, as they were both too tired to follow-up on any threats. Neither of them wanted another tickle-fight…yet. Besides, this small-time trash-talk was helping Korra stay awake.

Asami's small laugh gently shook Korra's head, though the laugh morphed into another yawn.

About twenty minutes of their allotted hour of night-watch passed before Asami spoke up again. "Korra?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

Asami didn't speak for several more moments. "Do you remember anything between Timori's attack and when we woke up in the sick-room?"

Korra's stomach dropped out from under her. Something in Asami's tone caused Korra to lift her head. "Yeah I do…why?"

Asami's eyes had begun to fill with tears. "Asami," Korra said, "what's wrong?"

"Korra…" Asami took in large breath to steady her nerves. "I think I died in that submarine."


	21. Chapter 20: Oblivion

CHAPTER XX: OBLIVION

_Is that—?_

_ -Yes. We should make it by nightfall._

* * *

"Asami…what do you mean?" Korra felt an unimaginable confusion sweep over her at Asami's remark. _She thinks she died on the submarine?_

"I don't know, Korra," Asami wept. "But it's been nagging at me this whole time. I needed to tell you…even if I didn't know what I needed to say."

Korra shrugged her own blanket off her shoulders so that she could pull Asami in for a close hug, but Asami refuted the gesture gently.

Asami closed her eyes for a moment to steady her breathing, and that little movement pushed a few wayward tears from her eyes. Korra watched a single drop as it rolled down Asami's lily-white skin. The light emanating from the campfire seemed to gather inside this very tiny speck of liquid-sadness, and Korra suddenly wanted to reach her hand out to catch this teardrop as it fell from Asami's jawline and onto her blanket.

When Asami opened her eyes again, they were no longer green. The same vibrant shade of yellow that Korra had seen earlier returned to Asami's eyes. The only words Korra could use to describe this color were 'molten gold,' and it contrasted rather beautifully with the black holes of Asami's pupils.

Except this time Asami's now-golden eyes were shining, although the glow was somewhat dim.

When Korra saw that Asami was fully crying now, she reached out and cupped her face between both hands.

"Korra…" Asami whispered.

"Asami, I promise that you're not dead," Korra said perhaps a little too forcefully, but she wanted to appear resolute to calm Asami down. Also, she'd never before had to convince someone that they weren't dead. It sounded very redundant to say aloud. "I've got you. You're _right here_, with me."

But Asami only shook her head in Korra's hands. "I know…but—"

"But what?" Korra interrupted. _Asami, you're not making any sense_. "You can't be dead if you're right here. You _aren't _dead, Asami. I…I'll never let that happen."

The raven haired and golden eyed woman grabbed Korra's wrists in an effort to remove them from her face. At Asami's touch, though, their sensory-link seemed to overload suddenly as bright sparks flew out from where Asami's hands met Korra's. Asami didn't let go, but both girls gasped at the sight.

Korra took this opportunity to slide her wrists out of Asami's grip and reposition her arms so that she could hold both of Asami's hands. Even larger sparks burst from this hand-linking, and Korra snapped her eyes shut against the brightness.

* * *

_How long do you think it'll be?_

_-I'm not sure. I've never dealt with something like this. It's almost as if…_

_As if what?_

_-No, it's too early to say._

* * *

Korra finally eased her eyes open when she thought the glare might have died down. Asami was peacefully gazing at her while they held hands. Her eyes were still golden, and they were glowing radiantly.

But when she looked at Asami's eyes, Korra could see herself. She didn't see herself in the sense that she saw her _reflection _in Asami's eyes; no, Korra could literally _see herself_, as if she had become someone else and was looking at Korra. Korra knew that this new point of view was coming from her link with Asami…and she saw that her own eyes had changed as well.

_Purple? Why purple_, Korra thought. Her normally blue eyes were now a shining violet as she held Asami's hands. _Asami's are gold, mine are violet. But why?_

The sparks had ceased flying from their joined hands, but now a faint white glow had begun to encircle them. It felt cold to Korra as this luminescence grew in power and filled her and her surroundings. This light caused Korra and Asami's shadows to dance terribly around the walls of this campfire room, and Korra felt like sobbing in fear as their shadows waged war on the ambient firelight. Korra saw Asami's shadow creep down from the walls as it made its way toward the campfire, bringing Korra's shadow with it, and together these dark specters attacked and absorbed the light and warmth that the fire provided. Soon there wasn't a campfire anymore, yet Korra hadn't let go of Asami's hands.

Korra saw her breath materialize in a cloud in front her as she breathed. The glow radiating from Korra and Asami had snuffed out the campfire, and now this cold white light coated the entire room as it filled every crevice, gap, and crack. There were no longer any shadows at all in this large room, not even their own shadows that had absorbed the fire. And now this hungry light had begun creeping into the other rooms.

"Asami!" Korra breathed.

Asami had seen it, too, and she looked just as terrified as Korra felt. Korra sensed her own fear being matched inside Asami's mind, and their shared panic circulated through them endlessly until it had saturated every aspect of their bodies.

Korra saw Su emerge from her room still dressed in her blood-stained Metal Clan uniform. Jaina and Gairo appeared next, each of them stumbling out of their separate hollowed-out rooms, and they too were still fully dressed. But something about them seemed wrong. They didn't seem to notice the all-encompassing frigid light emanating from Korra and Asami, and neither did they inspect the campfire that had been extinguished by this same sub-zero light.

"S-Su?" Korra said between her chattering teeth. The only warmth Korra felt was coming from Asami's hands: their whole camp had been covered in the cold light, and the temperature in here had dropped tremendously. She saw icicles beginning to form on the ceiling of this cave, and the floor had taken on a thin sheen of frost.

Su Beifong snapped to attention at the mention of her name. Korra shuddered under Su's steely gaze, but that was before Su opened her mouth to speak.

Instead of words, a dark and oily-black liquid spurted from Su's mouth as if she were vomiting mud. Korra and Asami screamed as Jaina and Gairo also emitted this unholy-looking fluid from their mouths, yet none of it touched the floor. As more and more liquid sprayed from the three metalbenders' throats, the dark fluid gathered together in the center of the room, right above the now-dead campfire. Su, Jaina, and Gairo were merely vessels for this black substance, and after they had spewed all the liquid they'd been carrying they dropped dead on the floor.

"Su!" Korra yelled through her sobs.

"Not them, too…" Asami cried as she saw the three dead metalbenders. "No, no, no…all of them…_my _fault…"

The dark liquid that had been inside the Metal Clan people had gathered above the campfire to form a massive black cube. The dark liquid inside the cube seemed to soak up the freezing light that was still radiating from Korra and Asami. Before, Korra hadn't wanted to let go of Asami's hands. Now, she _couldn't_. She tried releasing her grip, but she discovered that their fingers and palms had fused together, as if their skin had turned into so much melted cheese.

"_No, Asami! Don't ever talk to me again!_"

Korra turned to see who had spoken, and she yelped when she discovered the source of this high-pitched girly voice. Kai-Li had somehow managed to walk herself out of her room and was now standing between them and the black liquid cube. Like Su, Jaina, and Gairo, Kai-Li didn't seem herself anymore, but she was more changed than the other three had been. Kai-Li still had her vibrant blonde hair, but her facial features had become unrecognizable to Korra, as if this was some new woman dressed in Kai-Li's body. Even though the other metalbenders had changed Kai-Li's clothes, she was now wearing her crimson-soaked uniform again.

"No…" Asami whispered. Korra saw the golden glow in Asami's eyes die a little as she looked upon the woman that used to be Kai-Li.

"_You can't be serious…oh, you thought…? Ahahahaha!_"

Kai-Li's horrible girlish laughter echoed around the room and inside Korra's head.

"NO!" Asami screamed at this new blonde woman. But Korra saw that this wasn't even a _woman_: Kai-Li had transformed into a young blonde girl with a freckly face, no more than perhaps thirteen years old, but she was still wearing Kai-Li's blood-stained Metal Clan uniform.

The no-longer-Kai-Li girl took one step towards Korra and Asami, and Asami recoiled in place on the bench.

"Get away," Asami yelled at her as tears poured down her face. "Get away from me!"

"_Why would you even think that, Asami?_"

Neither Asami nor Korra could move, but Asami had given up. She sat there with her head hanging in despair. "Stop," she mumbled through her tears. "Giji…stop."

"Asami, who's—" Korra said to her. _Who is this girl, and why is Asami afraid of her?_

The blonde girl in Kai-Li's bloody clothes was swept off her feet suddenly. She was lifted up into the air and yanked back into the swirling black cube of liquid behind her, and the viscous fluid swallowed her whole as it absorbed Asami's fear. The cube began to spin in place as it hovered above the dead campfire. With every revolution it spun faster and faster until it become a blur.

As Asami continued hanging her head and crying, Korra saw the last remaining metalbender crawl out of his room. Wenlu literally dragged himself across the floor as he shambled towards them. His dragging body made a slick scraping sound, and it made Korra sick to her stomach. But that was before she saw that the lower half of Wenlu's body was missing. Everything from the waist down was gone, and only a bloody stump remained as the metalbender pulled himself along the floor. He came to a stop between them and the black-water cube.

Just like Su, Wenlu opened his mouth to release another splurge of black fluid, and this too floated through the air to join the rest of the dark liquid behind him. But he only spewed a very small amount, and then he turned his horrible gaze onto Korra.

"_You wouldn't understand, Asami_," Wenlu said to Korra. Despite saying Asami's name, he was addressing Korra.

"I really liked you, Rinsho," Asami whispered next to Korra. She was still hanging her head, so Korra couldn't see her face. "I really did, and you hurt me."

"Asami…" Korra said through her own tears. _Rinsho? Giji? What's happening…._Korra was still grasping Asami's hands in her own, though Asami continued hanging her head while she wept at Wenlu's words.

"_You know, if you actually cared for me like you say you do—_"

"STOP!"

Korra screamed as the frigid light emitting from her and Asami suddenly reached a climax before imploding back in on itself. She couldn't see or hear anything.

* * *

_All I can do now is—_

_ -It's been six days, Mother. Have they made any progress at all?_

_ Physically, yes. _

_ -What do you mean? _

_ I still cannot say for certain, but—_

* * *

"Asami!"

Korra fell from what felt like a great height and landed hard, tumbling and rolling down an incline before colliding again with a hard surface. She blinked several times to clear the after-image that the freezing light had left, and she reached up to massage the back of her neck.

She realized that if she was able to rub her neck, she wasn't holding Asami's hands anymore. "Asami!" she shouted again, now that the fear of separation had set in.

Korra quickly scanned her surroundings. She wasn't in their artificial cave-camp anymore, nor was Asami sitting next to her. As the floating lights of impact slowly faded from Korra's vision, she found herself deep in some forested area. In fact, she was sitting up against the trunk of a massive tree, and when she looked up Korra couldn't see any part of the sky above her through the thick canopy. The dense forest was almost completely black, and Korra was alone.

"Asami!" she yelled again into the darkness, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. "Asami!"

_Where am I,_ Korra wondered frantically. _How did I get here?_

After taking in a large breath of air, Korra yelled once more. "ASAMI!" The only response she received was her own echo as it bounced around the dark forest.

Feeling thoroughly terrified, Korra hoisted herself using a low-lying branch of this enormous tree. She paused for only an instant to revel in the fact that she was standing up _on her own two feet_. Korra let go of the branch she was using to support herself and found that her legs didn't ache or throb at all.

She was standing up, unaided and pain-free.

But Korra didn't think any more about this new revelation. Asami was missing, Korra was lost and alone, and Su and her metalbenders were all dead. She had to get out of this blackened forest.

Korra took a few cautionary steps away from the large tree she'd fallen against before she heard the voices.

_She won't make it._

_ -The world doesn't need an Avatar anymore._

_ -Why waste your time?_

_ Asami is dead._

"Who's there?" Korra shouted into the darkness. "Hello?" She turned this way and that as she searched for the source of this voice. Though it wasn't just _one _voice. Korra heard several distinct voices all around her as they taunted her from the shadowy depths of the forest.

_She doesn't love you._

_ -Why would she?_

_ Hopeless._

Korra sprinted headfirst into the black forest ahead of her. Despite the lack of any tangible light, Korra could still see a path under her feet that led deeper into this Forest of Night. She didn't know where it would lead her, but anything was better than standing here with the voices.

_You can't fight this._

_ -Why would anyone accept it?_

_ Asami is dead._

Korra felt a presence on the back of her neck, like that feeling you get when you know someone is watching you. She felt her tiny neck-hairs rise in fear as the voices followed her through the dark undergrowth. There was no light at all in this forest, and moving shadows flashed across her path and disappeared as they assimilated into the surrounding darkness. And yet she never halted as she ran along the path. She couldn't stop running, nor did she want to, so Korra continued barreling headlong into the endless night.

The path led right into a thick wall of brush and small trees that had grown together to form a natural barrier, but this wall was anything _but _natural. Korra saw little wisps of dark energy floating around the trunks of the small trees. These wisps seemed to be feeding the bushes and trees as more thorns and branches sprouted from the dark plants. Shadows from the encircling forest occasionally converged on this unnatural brush-wall, and the barrier absorbed these as well to feed its evil engine of growth.

Korra heard the voices coming up the trail behind her, so in a panic she dove into the brush. She kept her arms over her head to shield herself, but it wasn't enough, and she was repelled backward by the dark energy-wisps as the thorns lacerated her forearms.

_She doesn't need you…_

_ -You can't save her…you didn't save her…_

_ Hopeless._

"Asami!" Korra half yelled, half cried into the night. The voices had caught up with her, so she tried running through this barrier again. Korra managed to plunge deeper into the prickling and stabbing brush, but she was eventually yanked back out onto the path again.

_She's embarrassed of you._

_ -What will your parents think?_

_ -You've failed her._

_ Dead._

Korra clamped her hands over her ears to drown out the taunting voices, but it didn't work. They grew in strength as they brought out her deepest fears and most bitter regrets.

_Dead._

_ -She loved you, and you let her die._

_ You have nothing to live for…_

_ -The world doesn't want an Avatar anymore…_

Even with her eyes shut tight, Korra faced the unnatural brush-wall and delved into it face first. She felt the many thousands of thorns dig into her arms and face as they clawed at her while she trudged blindly through it all. Korra still heard the voices, but they were outside in the forest: they weren't in here, in the underbrush, which made Korra vastly prefer this physical pain instead of the emotional kind that the voices inflicted. But something inside this thick barrier of unholy plants was repelling Korra. Something was blocking her progress, as if she were tethered to something out _there_ in the forest, and it yanked her back again.

Korra was pulled out of the brush by an invisible entity, and she was wrenched backward with such force that she fell onto her back.

_Zaheer was right._

_ -She would never love someone like you…_

_ Weak, crippled, defenseless, pathetic._

_ -Asami is dead._

"No…" Korra whispered as she lied on the forest floor. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed while the voices taunted her. "No…she's not dead, can't be dead…"

_But she is. And you failed._

_ -Amon…Unalaq…Zaheer…Asami was there, and now she's not…_

"Stop!" Korra grit her teeth and groaned. She tried blocking out those voices, but nothing she did was working. She writhed in mental agony on the ground, thinking that her head would split open from such extreme emotional abuse.

_You let her die…we wanted her to die…_

Korra looked up from where she was crying on the ground. Her tears had pooled underneath her, but it was such a large puddle that it was surely impossible for this to have come from her eyes. Korra was kneeling in this pool, and the water was up to her waist as she continued weeping. Her pool of tears began to slowly swirl around her as the voices grew louder.

_She's dragged you in…just like she did to us…_

Korra gasped as two figures emerged from inside the brush-wall. One was taller than the other, but both were comprised completely of the same black liquid that had spewed from the metalbenders. These two dark silhouettes approached Korra while they talked.

_"She loves us…not you," _the shorter one said.

"_We made her happy, but you let her die,_" wailed the other. "_Now, you may join her._"

Korra crawled away from these black shapes on her hands and knees, and the pool of tears followed as if it was attached to her. Either the puddle was rising or Korra was sinking, because the water was now up to her stomach.

"Get back," Korra cried to the shadowy figures.

"_Whenever she's with you, she thinks of us,_" the short shadow said. Korra noticed that their shapes were becoming more defined. She thought she saw blonde hair on the shorter one.

The taller shadow's head burst to into flames, and from this light Korra could clearly see the two figures' features. The one with the burning head was a young man, not much younger than Korra herself, and the smaller shadow was the same girl that Kai-Li had transformed into. Korra didn't recognize either of these people. But she knew they weren't here to help her.

The young man spoke again. His head was still covered in flames. "_Why do you love her? She doesn't love you._"

"_I was her first love,_" the blonde girl screeched at Korra. "_She'll never forget me._"

"Asami…" Korra sobbed. Her pool of tears had risen (or she had sunk, she couldn't tell which) to her neck, and the liquid was whirling around her with the violence of a tropical storm. If this lasted much longer, it would engulf Korra. "Asami…"

Just before the raging whirlpool of tears had swallowed her, Korra spread her arms wide to break free from the swirling prison. The water exploded away from her in steaming droplets. She heard the sizzle of burning leaves as her tears singed everything they touched, and even the two specters in front of her screamed in pain.

"_She hates you…you let her die!_"

"_She won't love you after—_

"ENOUGH!" Korra blasted the young man away with a giant gust of air, using the wind the flip him around in midair before trapping him in a miniature tornado. The blonde girl tried to run back into the wall of bushes, but Korra earthbended the ground underneath her into mud. The blonde demon-girl slipped and fell to her knees, so Korra bent the mud onto the girl's legs and hardened it, encasing her in stone.

"You know _nothing _about Asami!" Korra screamed at them. The flames erupting from the man's head extinguished as she yelled at him. "She's _not _dead, she _doesn't _hate me, _and I love her!_"

With a final quick motion of her hands and arms, Korra tried to cover as much forest as she could with her own fire. A sphere of flame erupted out of her and spread outward as far as she could make it go. Every tree in sight was blanketed by this inferno, every blade of grass shrank as the intense heat sucked all the moisture from it. Korra sank to the ground from the effort, and from here she watched this darkened forest become even darker as her fire swept over everything. The two shadowy figures had dissipated in shrieks of agony, and Korra's inferno had burnt away every last thorn and branch of the brush-wall in front of her.

Another figure had been standing behind the wall of bushes this whole time, but this was no shadow. It beckoned to her with a white soothing light.

Korra fainted before the light could help her.

* * *

_What's happening to them? Help me!_

_ -No, stop! You mustn't!_

_ We have to do something! How long have they—_

* * *

"Asami!"


	22. Chapter 21: Amnesia

CHAPTER XXI: AMNESIA

Korra couldn't see for about two terrifying minutes while she gasped her breath. Along with being temporarily blind, she was sweating profusely and her heartbeat was threatening to pop her eardrums. She didn't know if she was still in the dark flame-covered forest, but for a moment she thought she was. There was darkness all around her, but there weren't any flames or trees or dark spirits.

Wherever she was, at least the voices hadn't followed her here, of _that _Korra was sure. Those terrible nagging voices had summoned all of her darkest fears and shoved them right in her face. _And who were those two figures? A man and a little girl, _Korra thought. _Asami knew them…_

"Asami!" Korra shouted between panting. She was out of breath, and she noticed right away that her body ached all over. She still couldn't see very well, though her eyes were slowly adjusting to this new darkness.

Korra patted herself down as she inspected her torso and legs. She was sitting on top of something, and she was wearing only a simple wool robe and underwear. Her mind raced as she struggled to assess her situation. _Where am I? Where are my clothes? Why am I hurting so much? Where's Asami?_

"Asam—ahh!" Korra had tried moving around—against the extreme protest issuing from all over her body—and she had fallen off of whatever she'd been sitting on. She fell about two feet down and landed hard on her butt, wincing as white-hot pain spread throughout her legs and up her spine. Feeling too miserable to continue this vain search, Korra broke down and sobbed to herself.

Korra didn't know where she was, how she'd gotten there, or what the hell had just happened in that dark forest. The only thing she knew right now was that Asami was not with her. _'Asami's dead'…_no, Korra would neverbelieve it. _A life without Asami…_It was much too horrible for her to think about, and yet it was _all_ she could think about. What if she had failed to protect Asami, after all?

"Korra? Korra!"

Through her weeping, she heard a pair of footsteps coming from…somewhere. But Korra recognized the sound of these footsteps, as well as the voice that had spoken, though neither of them belonged to Asami. Very light steps in rapid succession, and with a certain grace that could only mean one thing: an airbender. For the briefest of moments, Zaheer's scowling face flashed across Korra's vision, and she yelped a little more in between sobs.

Korra heard a smooth sliding sound off to her left, like an opening door, but her eyes had adjusted well enough for her to know that she wasn't in any danger. Tenzin came rushing to her aid as he gently picked her up from the floor while she continued sobbing.

"Korra," Tenzin said as he helped her back onto the bed. Korra realized that she'd been lying on a bed and had fallen off in her blind search for Asami. "Good heavens, are you…are you alright?"

_Am I alright?! _Korra wanted to laugh in the airbending master's face for asking such a ridiculous question. She was sobbing uncontrollably, she'd fallen out of bed, she didn't know where Asami was, and her legs had begun to throb with their old usual pain again. Korra was _not _alright.

The only response she could muster was, "No."

Tenzin tenderly covered Korra up with a blanket before continuing. "Do you need anything? Water, food, medicine?"

This question momentarily halted Korra's crying. "Asami," she croaked at him. Her throat was very dry, as if she had been forced to swallow sand for a week. "Where is she?"

Tenzin's eyes turned away for a moment. _No, _Korra thought, _don't you give me that look._

"Where. Is. Asami." Korra ignored the incredible swathing pain in her limbs and grabbed Tenzin's collar, yanking him closer to her face. "Where, Tenzin?"

"Korra, calm down," he whispered. "She's in the healing-pool. Asami is here, you're both safe."

Korra inspected the room now that her eyes were accustomed to the darkness. She recognized this room, though how she'd gotten here was a mystery. It was a simple square-shaped room with two beds, two dressers, and a small bedside table between the beds. There was only one window against the east wall, also between the two beds, and the crisp glow of the moon shone through the glass pane as Korra saw that the other bed was empty. The image of an Asami-less bed very nearly broke Korra's heart.

Korra scrambled to get up, her instincts compelling her to continue her search for Asami, but Tenzin pushed her back down gently. He didn't really have to: the searing pain in her legs was enough to change her mind.

"Asami…" she whispered as more tears streamed down her face. Korra had released Tenzin's collar, but she grasped his arm with all the strength she could summon. "Take me to her, Tenzin, please…"

Tenzin quietly shushed Korra. "I'm sorry, Korra, but you need to rest." The airbender sat on the edge of Korra's bed as she slowly eased down onto the pillow.

"No," Korra croaked. "You don't understand. I _need _to see Asami, I—I have to…" Korra began breathing faster as her sobbing intensified. "I have to find her, I have to know where we are," she added quickly.

"Korra, please," Tenzin interrupted. "You're at my mother's house, in the Southern Water Tribe. I understand you must be confused, but you've only just come to. You need your rest, and it's late." He placed his hands on Korra's shoulders. "If you're feeling well enough in the morning, we'll explain everything, I promise. For now you need to take it easy."

Korra allowed herself to be softly pushed back down onto the bed. _Damn you, Tenzin, you don't get it!_ Since Korra's vision had adjusted to the dark, she took one last look around her, and suddenly things made a little more sense. She was in the guest bedroom of Katara's house. She had, somehow, made it to the Southern Water Tribe…but how long had she been here?

But her physical exhaustion made itself very clear to her right then, and with one last desperate plea for Asami she descended back into sleep.

Even here, Korra found no respite.

* * *

_ She doesn't love you…_

_The world doesn't need an Avatar anymore…_

_ Asami's dead…_

Korra shot upright in her bed, her sudden awakening startling a dozing Pema. Tenzin's wife had been sitting on a small stool and had nodded off while she kept vigil over Korra. Korra was, once again, drenched in fear-sweat and panting heavily. She was very glad that she was wearing only a woolen robe, otherwise any clothing on her person would have been soaked. Her hair hung in wet threads in front of her eyes, but she made no move to push them aside.

"Spirit's sake, Korra, you scared me," Pema gasped. She stood up and walked to the little table between the two beds, dragging her stool with her. There was a pitcher of water and two cups on the table, and Pema filled one and handed it to Korra. "Here, drink this."

Korra snatched the cup from her and drained the contents in one giant gulp. The cool liquid refreshed her parched throat and banished the dryness from her tongue as it slid down her gullet, but it wasn't enough. Pema didn't even raise an eyebrow at Korra's ravenous drinking, and she lifted the pitcher to pour her some more water.

Korra gulped down three more cups of the revitalizing water before speaking. "Pema…is Asami alright?"

"I'm afraid I can't say, Korra," Pema said with a comforting straightforwardness. "She's stable, but she hasn't awakened yet. That's all I know." Her expression of motherly worry echoed Korra's anxiety about Asami. Pema set the pitcher down and grasped Korra's hand, using the back of her other hand to check Korra's forehead for fever. "But how're _you_ feeling?"

Perhaps if anyone else had asked her that, Korra might have wanted to yell at them. _How do you think I'm feeling?! _But she didn't yell at Pema. After her heartfelt talk with Tenzin's wife back at Air Temple Island, Korra couldn't even think about being angry with Pema. Besides, there were so many questions that Korra needed answers to, and yelling wouldn't get her anywhere.

"How…how did we get to the Southern Water Tribe?" was the first question Korra asked.

Pema's worry deepened a little. "Su Beifong brought you two here on her submarine. Don't you remember? They smuggled you out of Republic City."

Korra's stomach performed several uncomfortable flips. "But...the sub was attacked! Tenora, he—he _controlled _some of Su's people, a-and the escape pod, we crashed on some island, and…and…"

Pema squeezed Korra's hand a little tighter to calm her down, but before she could speak the sliding bedroom door opened and Jinora appeared with a heavily laden tray of food.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake, Korra," Jinora said, but Pema took the tray from her and bid her to fetch Tenzin and Katara. Jinora beamed at Korra, who could only force a small wince in return, and she left to follow her mother's orders.

_So I am at Katara's house, _Korra thought incredulously. _We're here. We made it. But how? _None of it made any sense to Korra. Where was Su right now, or Kai-Li…or her own parents, for that matter.

Pema placed the tray of food on the bedside table and began buttering a small biscuit. Korra saw several links of sausage, more biscuits, and a bowl of oatmeal on the tray. Despite the delicious aroma of the food, she didn't think she could stomach any of it right now.

Pema handed her the buttered biscuit and Korra accepted it, though she didn't take a bite. She felt very sick, as if she'd been spun in place very fast, and her stomach issued an angry grumble as a warning to not eat. Her head swam as she simply examined the undoubtedly delicious biscuit without eating it.

"Korra," Pema said, a hint of motherly-chastising in her tone, "you need to eat. I know you probably feel terrible, but your body needs some nourishment."

Korra really didn't feel like eating anything, but thankfully she didn't have to. Just then, the sliding door reopened and Tenzin walked in, followed by his elderly mother, Katara. The old waterbending master had taken up the use of a cane to get around, and Katara leaned comfortably on the walking stick as she observed Korra with a smile. Tenzin had brought in a wheelchair, Korra noticed.

Tenzin spoke first, while Katara merely observed in quiet as she stood near the door. "Korra we're all so thankful that you're finally awake, and—"

"How long have we been here?" Korra interrupted. A horrible thought had just occurred to her, and she needed answers.

Tenzin's face took on a worried-father frown. He looked to Pema for support, who only gave him a slight shrug in return. "I…Korra, for now let's move you into the healing-pool, then we'll—"

"How long, Tenzin? How long have I been unconscious?" Korra felt on the verge of breaking down again as she grilled Tenzin for information. In fact, what she really wanted was to throw this buttery biscuit at him until he answered her, but again Korra had to reign in her temper. _Why am I so angry? Why won't he just answer me?_

Tenzin reached up to stroke his beard with one hand. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Two weeks," he said in a low voice. "Su arrived here two weeks ago with you and Asami."

Korra dropped her biscuit as her heart sank into the depths of her stomach. _Two weeks…_It didn't seem possible. Had she dreamt everything about her ride in Su's submarine? No, Pema had said that Su had smuggled them out of the City…but how _much _of what Korra remembered had actually happened? Did Timori attack Asami, causing that near-fatal wound in her abdomen? Had Tenora even attacked the Metal Clan at all? Had Korra, Asami, Su, Kai-Li, Jaina, Gairo and Wenlu crash-landed on that mysterious island?

Korra didn't know the answers to any of these questions, and her mind finally spilled over the edge as she passed out again. Pema gasped and caught her as she collapsed, and Tenzin rushed forward to help her.

* * *

When Korra came to, she actually felt good. Better than simply 'good,' this superior feeling was one she was intimately familiar with. An undeniable relaxation coupled with a fluidic euphoria told Korra—even before her eyes were open—that she was being treated by a waterbender healer.

But this was no ordinary healer. Korra felt her own internal rhythms ebb and flow to the movement of the water around her. The soft blue glow of the healing-water greeted her tired eyes as she opened them, and Korra exhaled. She felt a presence next to her in the water, so she turned to the left and nearly jumped out of the pool in fright.

Asami was sitting next to her in the healing-pool, but she wasn't conscious. Her head—which was heavily bandaged around her temples—drooped a little to the right, causing her lustrous black hair to hang down in front of her. The ends of Asami's hair swam lazily in the water as the artificial tide swept back and forth over them. Korra and Asami were both nearly naked again, and Korra saw that Asami's entire abdomen was covered in a stiff layer of bandaging. Her skin had gone beyond its normal lily-white and had entered the realm of sickly-pale.

"Asami…" Korra whispered. She wanted to touch her, to hold Asami close to her and comfort her, but Korra had enough sense to know that that wasn't a good idea. A few tears migrated down Korra's cheeks as she examined the broken Asami.

"Korra," a familiar and soothing voice said, "I'm so sorry this has happened."

Korra turned to her right to look up at Katara. The old Water Tribe woman was maneuvering her hands and arms in slow, fluid motions to create the tide of healing-water in the pool. It was very difficult for Korra to feel any pain or sorrow for Asami due to Katara's exceptional healing, but she still felt terrible about Asami's condition. The worst part of it was not knowing what had been real or not. If Asami's bandages were any indication, then Timori had indeed attacked them…but what about everything after that?

"Katara, it's so good to see you," Korra sighed. "I've missed you so much."

The elderly woman had closed her eyes to concentrate on her bending, but she smiled at Korra. As she focused more on her healing, however, Katara's smile was quickly replaced by a worried frown, and Korra had seen the change.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is it Asami?"

To Korra's surprise, Katara paused in her bending to reopen her eyes, and they looked sad. Katara's entire being exuded wisdom at all times, and rightfully so. She was the most powerful waterbender in the world. But right now her visage was etched with worry and confusion.

"Katara?" The pit of despair in Korra's stomach deepened when she saw the old woman's worried expression. _If Katara is worried…spirits, help me, _Korra thought. _Spirits, help Asami._

Katara sighed in a way that Korra had never heard her sigh before. Korra herself was very familiar with this kind of sigh, as she'd sighed that way many times. It was a replacement for words, so to speak, when you didn't want to say them aloud. This type of sigh meant '_I don't know. I don't know what to do,_' and it scared Korra to hear Katara use this kind of wordless confession.

The waterbending master reached over to grab her cane, which had been leaning against the wall, and she walked over to Korra to sit down on one of the benches that surrounded the healing-pool. They were alone in Katara's private healing-room, just the two of them and the unconscious Asami. Katara stared at the healing-water, deep in contemplation, and she took another few moments to gather her thoughts before speaking.

"First things first," Katara began, looking back up at Korra as she spoke, "tell me what you remember about your journey."

Korra frowned. "I was going to ask _you _that, or Tenzin, or Su," she said with a sigh of her own. "I don't know what to think, Katara. I'm not sure what did or didn't happen."

"That's alright, my dear," Katara said with a reassuring smile. "Just tell me what _you _remember, regardless of whether or not it really happened."

For a long moment, Korra didn't even know where to begin. She struggled at first to relate everything that had happened (or everything that she _thought _had happened), but after a while Korra let the story flow out of her. She began with a brief description of Su's submarine on that first night. She told Katara about the motor room, the two levels of living quarters, the mess hall, the control room, and her awkward first encounter with Timori Roku. Though she was careful to omit the part about her and Asami sleeping in each other's arms, Korra did mention that they'd shared a room. Then there had been their breakfast the next morning, along with another awkward moment with Timori and Asami's playful insistence that Korra go with Timori to see the observation deck.

"And that's when Tenora first attacked," Korra sighed. Katara had been silent this whole time, and she remained that way to let Korra continue. "He…I don't know how, but the airship that was supposed to pick us up exploded. Timori and I both panicked, he sent a message to Su through the intercom, then we went back inside the sub. It was _horrible_, Katara. All those poor people…"

Korra took a steadying breath before continuing. She told Katara about the ultimatum Tenora had given the Metal Clan: either surrender Asami to him, or they would all die. Katara didn't even flinch at the evil of Tenora's statement, her face passive as ever while Korra resumed her tale.

She recounted Timori's strange transformation, followed by his assault on Asami. Korra tried her best to describe Timori's silver-coated eyes and how he had spoken with Sahno Tenora's voice. Here Korra paused. The truth was that Korra didn't want to relive this particular moment. This was the moment of her failure, as she'd lain on the floor while she had watched Timori pierce Asami with his blade. In an effort to give Katara the full picture, she trudged onward with her story through her guilt-tears. She continued by telling of her sudden use of the Avatar State, not once but _twice_, before finally ending at the scene of her healing Asami on the observation deck.

Korra couldn't describe this last part with any great detail. She knew that she'd used her Avatar State so that she could heal Asami with waterbending, but after that there was only an intense light in Korra's memory before she'd awakened in the sick-room of the submarine. She told Katara about this as well, along with their frantic and tragic escape from the doomed sub. She told how Rory had sacrificed himself to ensure their getaway. She told how the blonde Kai-Li had been injured, how Wenlu had appeared mentally broken from grief. Then came the island they'd crash-landed on and the cave Su had made with her earthbending.

Korra then realized that she'd forgotten to mention her strange new connection with Asami, so she told this to Katara. This piece of news greatly interested the wise old woman, and she leaned forward on the bench as Korra continued. Korra tried to put into words the overwhelming euphoria that she felt when linked to Asami, how their senses would be heightened, as well as shared, and the brief moments in which their eyes had changed colors. She also told Katara about how she and Asami had literally seen Su and Wenlu's sorrow.

The only thing Korra had not told Katara about was the strange dark forest she'd seen right before waking up. Somehow that seemed too personal to tell, though not personal for Korra. Those shadowy specters had known Asami, so Korra kept that to herself.

"What do you think it means?" Korra asked Katara about her sense-link with Asami. The Water Tribe healer was rubbing her chin with one thumb in thought, and she didn't respond for several moments.

Katara closed her eyes to think. "It's hard to say," she mumbled. "I've heard tell of something like this before, but what you've described sounds much different."

Korra perked up. She knew Katara would have the answers she needed. "So you know what this is, this new link between us?"

"Well, there was an ancient airbender meditation technique that allowed two or more people to temporarily fuse their spiritual energy together," Katara rambled, more to herself than to Korra. "This allowed less-experienced airbenders to enter the spirit world through meditation, as long as a Master accompanied them. Aang told me many stories about ancient airbenders whose spirits became permanently fused, which is why the practice has long been abandoned. The long-term effects were…unpleasant."

_'Permanent' doesn't sound too good, _Korra thought. "Do you think that's what happened to us?"

Katara shook her head. "No, not quite. As I said, that technique was for airbenders only. A non-bender simply doesn't have the required elemental Chi. Non-benders do have spirits, of course, though they are not as…potent, as our own. If I had to guess, based on what I've sensed while healing you two and from your story, I would say that you've somehow _given _Asami some of your own spirit."

"_What?_" Korra was dumbstruck, though what Katara had said wasn't wholly astonishing. Korra let herself think about it for a moment, and as she did she realized that Katara's hypothesis made some sense. Whenever she'd felt her sensory-link with Asami, Korra had felt her own individual senses pick up the pace, as if a part of her brain hadn't been working _until _she touched Asami. Katara was saying that this missing part of Korra was actually inside Asami. This idea was both crazy and surprisingly plausible in Korra's mind.

"But why…I mean, how did this happen?" Korra asked. She didn't expect Katara to have a definite answer to this, but she couldn't form coherent thoughts right now.

"I cannot say, Korra," the old waterbender said. "This is only a guess, mind you. Perhaps your Avatar spirit spilled over into Asami to keep her alive, though whatever consequences this may have, I also cannot say." Katara shifted her weight on the bench. "But there is something else, though it concerns you instead of Asami."

"What? What have you felt?" Korra interrupted. Katara didn't have to tell Korra that a waterbender can sometimes see into a person's body while healing them, as a way to find the absolute source of any injury. Having studied under Katara's instruction in her youth, Korra already knew this.

"When you were first brought to me two weeks ago," Katara began, "I thought you were both slumbering in comas. In some sense you were, though the root cause of _your_ blackout was not due to extensive physical injury, as I believed Miss Sato's to be. Do you remember my daughter, Kya, bending a silver fluid out of Asami?" Katara asked her. It was a rhetorical question, so the waterbending master continued elaborating. "Kya sent a letter with Tenzin that described it…I'm afraid that same substance is inside of you, Korra, and it has been for a long time. This drug has been inhibiting your natural healing processes. This is why it has been taking so long for you to see any progress."

"But…but…" Korra stammered. _This has gotten so out of hand, _she thought. "If Kya pulled it out of Asami, why didn't she pull it out of _me_?! Surely she saw it back then, too!" Korra had been so caught up in her feelings for Asami that she'd forgotten to worry about herself. Upon reawakening, she had noticed that her limbs felt much heavier—and more painful—than they had on the escape pod. Then again, that whole affair with the escape pod might not have been real at all…

Katara put her hands up in a defensive gesture. "She did, Korra, but this drug has so saturated your body that I almost missed it. Whatever it is, your body has wholly accepted it. This substance is, right now, flowing through your limbs as if it had always been a part of you. Kya had been lucky to catch it early in Asami, when it could still be extracted with ease." She met Korra's eyes for a moment, hoping that she would grasp the implication of what she'd just said.

Korra understood. "You mean you can't take it out," she mumbled.


	23. Chapter 22: Repercussions

CHAPTER XXII: REPERCUSSIONS

Jinora had never really liked coming to the Southern Water Tribe. She loved her grandmother, but it was just too dull around here for the young airbender, especially here in the White Lotus compound where Katara lived. Jinora supposed that it was somewhat interesting to see where Korra had grown up and trained to be the Avatar, but there was almost no fun to be had inside this walled-up ice fortress.

Ikki, Meelo, Uncle Bumi and Aunt Kya (along with Lin and her police) had stayed behind at Air Temple Island while Jinora, her parents, and Rohan had come here to the White Lotus compound, so Jinora didn't even have her siblings to entertain her. _Why didn't I get to stay home, _she groaned inwardly. _After all, I'm an airbending Master now, tattoos and all. I should be teaching the new Nation, not Meelo. _It had been two weeks now, and Jinora was bored. Very bored.

The Southern Water Tribe was a _terrible _place for a bored airbender to be. Everything that she normally loved to do was next to impossible here in the sub-zero climate. She couldn't fly high above Harbor City for more than thirty seconds, she couldn't meditate outside without almost freezing to death, and the ever-present snow made it exceedingly difficult to practice her bending. Any air-maneuvers Jinora performed would kick up a small snowstorm, and she would have to wait for it to settle again. If her Gran-Gran didn't live here, Jinora highly doubted that she'd ever come back if given a choice.

But that was exactly why she was here right now in this frozen desert: There hadn't been any other choice in her mind. Korra was in trouble, so Jinora wanted to help in any way she could, which also explains why she was sitting in the hall outside the healing-room of her grandmother's house. She had come to check on Korra.

Jinora heard a muffled and outraged voice erupt from inside the room. _That's Korra_, she assumed. It certainly wouldn't have been Katara screaming like that. Jinora couldn't make out what Korra was yelling, but if she was yelling at Katara, it couldn't mean good news. _I hope it's not too serious…_

As Jinora continued sitting on a bench outside the healing-room, the yelling from within increased in intensity for a moment before subsiding. After a few seconds, it was replaced with muffled sobbing. _Definitely not good news, then. _The sliding doors parted as Katara exited the healing-room alone, her face downcast to match the dark circles under her eyes, and Jinora stood up to speak. Her grandmother had been tirelessly treating Korra and Asami since they'd arrived, though Korra had just regained consciousness last night. While Katara turned around to shut the doors behind her, Jinora heard Korra's sobbing from inside, and she managed to peek around her grandmother before she closed the sliding doors.

Korra was still in the healing-pool with Asami, and she was holding tight to the dark-haired heiress while she sobbed against her. Asami was still unconscious. _Oh no_, Jinora thought. It broke her heart to see Korra in such a state.

"Gran-Gran, what's the matter?" Jinora whispered. She didn't want Korra to hear her, though she doubted that she could past her own crying.

Katara sighed. "Jinora, my dear," she began, "I fear their condition is…more complicated than I originally thought, for both of them. Come, let's leave them be for a while. I need some rest, myself." She hobbled over to place an arm around Jinora and they both walked away from the healing-room.

Katara's house was a simple cottage-style abode inside the White Lotus compound that Korra had been raised in. The healing-room used to be a separate building, but over the years Katara had had the White Lotus connect it to the rest of her home. Jinora assisted her slightly wheezing grandmother through this passage as they made their way toward the kitchen.

"Is Korra going to be alright?" Jinora asked her grandmother.

Katara sighed again, her exhaustion evident in her tone. She didn't immediately respond. "I believe everything happens for a reason, dear," the Water Tribe elder said. "Korra is strong, as is her friend, Asami." She turned to give Jinora a wrinkled smile. "They'll pull through, one way or another."

_That doesn't really answer my question, _Jinora thought, but she believed her grandmother.

It was about noon, so Jinora wasn't surprised to find her mother standing next to the stove as she prepared lunch in Katara's small kitchen. Pema was stirring the contents of a large pot as she added various spices, sometimes lifting the ladle to her lips to taste the broth. Jinora helped Katara into her usual seat at a small square table on one side of the room. Rohan, now three years old, was sitting in the chair next to Katara eagerly awaiting his meal.

"Thank you, dear," Katara said to Jinora with a smile.

"You're welcome, Gran-Gran."

"Jinora, honey," Pema said as she finished stirring the pot, "Will you find your father and tell him lunch is ready?" She had begun ladling large amounts of noodles into several bowls.

"Sure," Jinora replied. "Where is he?"

Her mother walked over to the table, a bowl in each hand, and plopped one of the steaming bowls in front of Katara and gave the other to Rohan. Pema retrieved her own bowl of noodles and seated herself to begin eating. "I think he's speaking with some White Lotus guards outside," she said between bites, the result of which was highly comical due to her cheeks being full of noodles. Even Katara had to suppress a small giggle, and Rohan mimicked his mother by stuffing his own face.

Jinora headed for the coat rack near the door and plucked her heavy parka from it. The passage she and her grandmother had just come through led to the healing-room, but there was another door right next to it that led outside onto the snow-covered porch. Jinora braced herself for the cold and twisted the knob.

The arctic air greeted Jinora like a mouthful of sharp teeth. The snowflakes seemed to be made of glass as they pierced the skin of her face, the wind having whipped them into a flurry of ice-crystals. She wasn't wearing her normal Air Nation flightsuit—as flying without an air-bison was impossible because of this weather—but was instead clad in a dark blue parka with white fur accents and matching fur-lined pants. Her feet were fit snugly into a pair of fur boots, and as she trudged onward into the cold she plunged her hands into her coat pockets. All in all, Jinora fancied that she looked like an average Water Tribe girl, except for the airbending tattoos and her pale complexion.

Jinora took a left out the door and followed the porch as it encircled her grandmother's house. She could already hear her father's voice as she approached the corner the led onto the front of the small abode. Jinora leaned against the house for a moment to listen to her father's conversation.

"…no matter what, the harbor _needs _to be secured," Tenzin was saying to a threesome of White Lotus men.

One of them, apparently the one in charge, saluted her father. "Of course, Master Tenzin, though without Chief Tonraq on hand—"

"I've already contacted him, Captain," Tenzin interrupted. "He should arrive by the end of next week, if the weather holds. Until then, Tonraq trusts my judgment and that of the Council."

Jinora figured she'd done enough eavesdropping, so she rounded the corner to come into view. The White Lotus captain bowed again to Tenzin, and with a curt 'yes sir' he and his two guards walked back down the steps of Katara's home toward their own barracks a few dozen yards away.

Tenzin sighed and began grumbling to himself as he massaged the bridge of his nose, deep in thought. He hadn't heard or seen Jinora behind him.

"Dad?" she said, startling her father. "Mom said your lunch is ready."

Tenzin sighed again. "Alright, thank you Jinora." Instead of walking back inside to begin eating, though, he leaned against the railing of the porch and gazed over the White Lotus compound.

"Is something wrong?" Jinora asked. "I heard you say that the harbor needs to be secured…we're not in any danger, are we?"

Her question only produced yet another sigh from her father. After another moment of thought, Tenzin spoke up. "No, I don't think we're in any immediate danger. But when we're up against someone like Sahno Tenora, it pays to be careful. Harbor City is our first line of defense here in the Water Tribe."

"And you said Korra's dad isn't here? Where is he?" Jinora continued.

"I—" Tenzin became flustered. "Were you eavesdropping, Jinora?"

"No! Your voice just…carries, and it's windy, so you're easy to hear," she countered, gesturing all around to indicate the weather.

Tenzin sighed yet again. "Well, I'm afraid it's true. Chief Tonraq and his wife, Senna, are visiting the Northern Water Tribe at the moment." He turned back to inspect the compound. "The Tribal Council are overseeing things while he's away, but they're not convinced of the threat Tenora poses, and I'm starting to worry about Lin."

Lin Beifong had stayed behind at Air Temple Island while her police force continued their investigation of Tenora. As far as Jinora knew, they hadn't made any important discoveries yet. In fact, the last big break they'd had was before Jinora and her family had left Republic City. After Kya had waterbended that strange silver drug out of Asami, Lin had had some toxicologists from the City examine it, and what they'd found was puzzling. The liquid drug bonded itself to a person's blood, and from there it spread out into every limb and organ until it was evenly distributed. They also discovered that this substance responded to electromagnetic waves, though they hadn't figured out what this could mean for someone who'd been given a dosage.

Tenzin turned to look down at his eldest daughter, and seeing her worried expression he added, "Everything's going to be alright, Jinora. I promise. Come on, let's go eat." Jinora nodded, though she found it hard to believe that they weren't in danger. _Tenora has already proven how dangerous he can be_, she thought. As she and her father walked back inside, though, she sighed with resolution. If her dad said everything was going to be alright, then she believed him. She only wondered how long the peace would last.

* * *

An hour later, Jinora and her family had finished their midday meal. Pema had placed Rohan in his room for a nap, and for a while Jinora had been reading one of Katara's books as she sat in the living room. A fire blazed in the small hearth against the wall, and there were only a few comfortable chairs in this room, so she had pulled one closer to the fire to warm herself while she read. Her grandmother had gone to resume her treatment of Korra and Asami, her mother was still cleaning the kitchen, and her father had just gone in to check on Katara's progress.

"Jinora?"

She looked up from her book. Tenzin was standing in the threshold of the kitchen again, and Jinora could hear and see her mother idly cleaning behind him.

"Yeah, Dad?"

His face looked sullen, and for an instant he looked down at his feet. _Uh oh_, she thought as her stomach dropped. _What now?_

Tenzin looked back up at his eldest child. "Will you come with me into the healing-room?" he asked.

Secretly, she didn't want to. _I can't stand to see Korra like that, _she thought again. But if her dad was asking her to come with him, she knew something was wrong.

Jinora dog-eared the page she was reading and set it down next to her to follow her father. With that same sullen expression, Tenzin led the way through the kitchen and into the small hallway toward the healing-room.

He paused outside the room, his hands on the sliding doors. Jinora could hear the gentle swishing of water coming from inside, though she also noticed a lack of sobbing, which she took as a good sign. _Either Korra is asleep again, or she's cried her eyes out. Probably both. _

Tenzin sighed and slid the doors open, and Jinora followed him in. Katara was standing over the healing-pool, moving her arms in slow, fluid motions as she manipulated the glowing water over the two injured women. Korra and Asami were both undressed down to their underwear, though Asami's abdomen was heavily bandaged. They were both asleep now. Jinora thought they looked somewhat peaceful as the glowing water flowed back and forth across their bodies, the shine of the water casting weird shadows across their exhausted faces.

"Close the doors, Jinora, please," Tenzin said, and she obeyed.

"What's wrong, Dad? Are they going to be OK?"

"We hope so," he began, which wasn't a very reassuring answer.

Katara spoke up now, though she never paused in her bending. "Jinora, when was the last time you visited the Spirit World?" It was a very straightforward question, and her tone had an immediacy to it that frightened Jinora. She'd never heard such distress in her grandmother's voice before.

"I…um, well…not since we've been here," Jinora replied.

"So you haven't been since Korra and Asami arrived here…" Katara mumbled to herself, her eyes now closed as she concentrated on her healing. She opened one eye to peek at her son. "There may be hope, Tenzin. She's strong, I know she'll succeed."

"Mother, how will she be able to—"

"Be able to what?" Jinora interrupted. Her dad and grandma were starting to scare her, mostly because she didn't like the sound of _'may be hope._' She looked back and forth between Tenzin and Katara. "What's going on?"

"I'm afraid time is of the essence," Katara said sounding very out of breath and still swaying to and fro with her artificial tide, "so a short answer will have to do. During the past two weeks, I've noticed a lack of spiritual Chi in Korra and Asami. I'm not as spiritually connected as you or Tenzin, but Korra's Avatar spirit is usually easy to recognize through my healing, and I haven't felt it in her until yesterday, when she finally came to. Her spirit feels…weak, but it's there. Asami's spirit has yet to reawaken."

_What in the world is she talking about_, Jinora thought. "So…Korra is going to be fine, but Asami won't? If Asami's spirit is _gone_, shouldn't she be…" Jinora didn't want to finish that sentence out loud, because it ends with the word _dead. _

If Asami's spirit is gone, she _should _be dead.

"That's what is so troubling," Tenzin said. "Physically, both of them are healthy."

"Yes, but spiritually…something isn't right, in both girls," Katara added.

"I don't understand," Jinora breathed.

"While Korra was awake, she relayed her experience on the submarine to me." Katara finally eased up with her waterbending and hobbled over to the nearby bench. Tenzin helped her to her seat, and Jinora saw that her grandmother was pouring sweat. The poor old Water Tribe woman had worked herself into a healing frenzy. "What she described is troubling. Based on her story, I believe Asami Sato died on Su Beifong's submarine."

"_What!?" _Jinora yelped. "But—"

Katara held up a hand to stop her. "Jinora, honey, listen. It would seem that Korra saved Asami by placing a piece of her own Avatar spirit inside of Asami at the moment of death. Normally, a person cannot exist without their spirit intact, but being the Avatar means Korra has access to _two _separate spiritual energies, her own spirit and that of Raava's. Because her personal spirit is still whole, Korra survived as well, though I cannot say what effect this will have on her."

_This is too much, _Jinora thought as her grandmother continued this bizarre story.

Katara sighed and wiped her forehead with a handkerchief before resuming. "While it may have prevented Asami's immediate death, I don't think the piece of Raava that Korra gave to Asami will be enough to sustain her for much longer. A person needs their own spiritual essence to live. And that, my dear Jinora, is why we need you."

"Me? What am I going to do? What could I _possibly _do?" Jinora had left the realm of confusion and had entered the plane of total brain failure: Nothing her grandmother was saying made any sense to the young airbender.

Katara gave a weak smile. "Have faith, my darling. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"But Gran-Gran, I'm so confused. If Asami is going to die, what could I do that you can't? I'm no healer," Jinora whimpered.

"We need you to enter the Spirit World and locate Asami's essence," was Katara's mind-boggling reply. Jinora didn't speak for several moments, so Katara continued, "Since Asami's body still lives, thanks to Korra's spiritual transfusion, I believe her spirit can still be retrieved. If you can do this, if you can coax Asami's spiritual essence to reenter her body, she should recover."

For another very long and very silent instant, Jinora stared at her grandmother. Then she looked to Tenzin, who only looked back with his usual worried-father expression. Jinora's knees began to wobble, so she sat down next to Katara while she tried to not throw up. _They're putting Asami's life in my hands, _she thought, _And I don't know what to do._

"How—how am I supposed to find her in the Spirit World?" she asked Katara. Jinora still felt queasy, a horrible sick tremor in her stomach that made her want to vomit. She didn't ask how Asami's spirit could have survived this long in the Spirit World. She didn't ask how she was going to get Asami's essence back into her body.

"You'll enter through the Southern Spirit Portal," Tenzin answered her. "I wouldn't agree to this plan any other way. At least you'll be able to airbend."

"You mean you're not coming with me?" Jinora asked.

Tenzin frowned, and she got the idea that he wasn't too happy about this plan, either. "I'll escort you to the Portal, but I have to stay here, Jinora. When you locate Asami's spirit, I will meditate into the Spirit World to serve as an anchor, of sorts. Theoretically, I _should _be able to guide Asami back into her body."

Jinora almost lost her lunch into the healing-pool. While it was true that she often visited the Spirit World, her meditations only involved Wan Shi Tong's library (who had eventually allowed her to visit whenever she wanted). She hadn't been through the Southern Portal since Harmonic Convergence, and _that _had not been an altogether pleasant experience. She was frustrated that her dad wouldn't come with her, though she also felt proud that Tenzin was putting so much faith in her spiritual prowess. But this whole plan sounded so absurd that she wanted to laugh, cry, scream, and vomit all at once.

Jinora sighed after several moments. She had waited for Tenzin or Katara to say _'Ha! Just kidding, Jinora,' _but after that didn't happen she knew they were serious. "When do we leave?" she asked.

"As soon as possible," Katara answered.

* * *

Four hours later, Jinora and Tenzin were standing fifty yards from the Southern Spirit Portal. Their journey here from the White Lotus compound had been largely uneventful, thanks to a brief decrease in the extreme weather. They hadn't brought any unnecessary supplies with them, apart from a few essentials in case they got lost, so they had travelled lightly.

Standing in front of the Portal again sent shivers down Jinora's spine. An uncontrollable fear-spasm spread throughout her arms and legs, and her knees threatened to buckle again. She was still wearing her dark blue parka, though underneath she'd added a few layers to keep warm in this unforgiving climate, and her hands were wrapped in warm leather gloves. Both hers and Tenzin's hoods were drawn tightly over their heads against the driving snow as they ploughed toward the Portal. Her warm clothing wouldn't hinder her in the Spirit World, as there isn't really a sense of climate or temperature there.

Dark leafless trees surrounded them, and Jinora saw more than a few spirits fly into and out of the Portal. The Portal itself was nothing more than a large beam of bluish light shooting straight up into the night sky, and from there it forked out into the Southern Lights that danced high above them.

Seeing the beauty of the spirits in the sky calmed Jinora's mind. _I've been here before, _she reassured herself, _I've been visiting Wan Shi Tong at least three times a month. So why am I scared to go now? _Jinora didn't really have a plan of what she was going to do inside the Spirit World, and neither Tenzin nor Katara had offered her any advice. She was to find Asami's lost spiritual essence and bring it back, though _how _had been left to Jinora to figure out. She couldn't help but feel just a little annoyed at that. _Some plan…_

Jinora and Tenzin were standing mere feet away from the Portal now, the dark spirit-forest covered in snow all around them.

"Well," Jinora began, "I guess I'll go see Wan Shi Tong first. If anyone's seen Asami's spirit, it'll be him, or his Knowledge-Seekers."

Tenzin nodded. "Jinora…please be safe." He pulled his daughter in for a hug, and Jinora returned the embrace. She buried her face in her dad's cloak for a moment before releasing him.

"I'll be fine, Dad. I promise," she said.

Jinora approached the radiating Spirit Portal, and with a final wave to her father, she stepped through.

_Physically entering the Spirit World is a lot like doing it through meditation, _she realized as she felt the familiar soul-yanking spiral. Meditating into the Spirit World was almost like falling asleep. As you lose your physical conscious, your spiritual energy is pulled out of its fleshy bonds. To Jinora, it felt like having all the wind knocked out of you for good, and stepping into the Portal was no different.

After what seemed like hours of spiraling upwards, Jinora's feet made contact with solid ground again, and she could smell grass all around her. Opening her eyes revealed a gorgeous green field, complete with mountains on the horizon and a forest down below her. She was standing on the edge of a floating mass of land, like an island in the sky, though it was at least twice the size of Air Temple Island. Nothing inhabited this colossal floating island except luscious green grass, and every blade of it swept in the breeze. The forest below her was dark despite the radiant sunshine, and even from up here Jinora could see spirits darting to and fro between the black trees.

Looking back up at the mountains in the distance, she gasped with wonder as a large flock of spirits took flight. They were shaped much like average birds, but these were far larger and seemed to have four wings. As Jinora watched them soar through the air, each giant bird-spirit suddenly burst into thousands of particles, like a fireworks display, but these pieces continued to fly in unison. They spun around and flew straight over Jinora's head with startling speed, but as they did so she saw that these particles were actually tiny versions of the giant bird-spirits she'd just seen. They fluttered all around her on the floating island before merging back into their giant shapes. The large four-winged bird-spirits began to graze idly on the grass like air-bison, and Jinora noticed that they had teeth like air-bison as well, instead of sharp beaks.

This calmed Jinora's fears. _Some spirits really are amazing to watch, _she thought.

Jinora knew she had bypassed the Tree of Time to come here instead. Normally, the Spirit Portals at the North and South Poles led straight to the Tree of Time, but truth be told, she never wanted to see that horrible tree again, the place where Vaatu had been imprisoned. But all of that was in the past. With Jinora's help, Korra had defeated Vaatu and Unalaq, and the Spirit World had never been better. This wasn't a dangerous place, not for Jinora, not anymore. If she found herself in any danger she could simply will herself away, and if that didn't work she could always use her bending to defend herself.

Jinora closed her eyes to take a deep breath. Even though she was here physically, her spirit was strong enough to send her anywhere she wanted to go in the Spirit World. _Wan Shi Tong's library, _she thought, picturing the upside-down building in her mind. She'd been meditating into the Spirit Library at least thrice every month, so it was easy for Jinora to conjure up an image of it. She felt a sudden whisking away, as if one of the giant birds had come down and plucked her up by the shoulders to carry her far above the floating grassy field.

When Jinora next opened her eyes, there really _was _a giant bird in front of her. Wan Shi Tong, the massive owl guardian of the Spirit Library, was perched high above her on a row of bookshelves. Willing herself into his library must have made some sort of noise, because Wan Shi Tong rotated his head to look back at Jinora. _I hate when he does that, _she thought. _Owls can be creepy, sometimes._

"Ah, the young Air Master. To what do I owe the pleasure this time?" Wan Shi Tong mused. He swooped down from his perch to stand in front of Jinora, towering over her with his bulk. "Or do you merely wish to browse at your leisure?" He cocked his head to the left at an awkward angle that would have been painful for Jinora to imitate.

Wan Shi Tong normally required his visitors to make some contribution to the library before using it, but he had made an exception for Jinora a few months ago. He approved of Korra's decision to keep the Portals open, saying that he expected many contributions in the future, and since Jinora had helped Korra he had permitted her to visit whenever she wanted.

Jinora bowed to the owl. "Hello, Wan Shi Tong. I'm afraid I'm not here for research, but I do need your help."

"Oh?" The owl-spirit cocked his head in the other direction as he gave her his best soul-piercing stare. Jinora hated that look, too. "How else may I assist you, then?"

"I'm looking for a lost human spirit. A woman, with black hair and green eyes," Jinora said. "Have you seen her?"

Jinora knew that Wan Shi Tong loved riddles, puzzles, and mysteries, and this certainly peaked his interest. He ruffled his wings as he thought.

"Hmm," he hummed. "I do not leave this library, so _I_ haven't seen your lost human. She certainly hasn't come here, of that I'm certain. Why do you search for this human?"

"She's my friend," Jinora replied. "And she's in trouble. Well, her _body _is in trouble, back in the physical world."

"A weak-minded individual should not enter the Spirit World, through meditation or otherwise," Wan Shi Tong said coldly. He may have allowed Jinora to browse the library at her leisure, but she sometimes forgot how little he cared for other humans.

Jinora took a steadying breath to calm herself. "She's not weak, just lost."

"Lost how?"

Jinora paused. "W-what do you mean?"

Wan Shi Tong spread his massive wings for a moment, the wingspan of which had to be at least twenty feet, then he bent his head down until his was eye-to-eye with Jinora. "Humans have only three methods of entering the Spirit World: the Portals, meditation, and for a few spiritually-powerful individuals, death. Which one did your friend use to enter this plane? You said her physical body is in trouble, so that only leaves meditation. Correct?"

Jinora looked away. She couldn't hold his piercing gaze for too long, especially not this close. Thankfully, the giant owl raised his head away from her, so she looked back up at him to answer. "Well…no, she didn't meditate into the Spirit World," she replied sheepishly.

Wan Shi Tong issued a sharp screech. "Then you have not been forthcoming with me, young Air Master." A Knowledge-Seeker, one of Wan Shi Tong's little fox helpers, appeared at his side to answer his call. "Tell me, has any wayward human been sighted recently?" he asked the fox.

These Knowledge-Seekers were capable of standing on two feet, but this fox was on all fours as he sat on his haunches. He nodded up at Wan Shi Tong, who cocked his head to look back at Jinora. "It would seem your friend is here, after all."

"Oh, thank goodness," Jinora breathed. She looked at the little fox. "Do you know where she is? Is she alright?"

The fox looked up at Wan Shi Tong. Jinora didn't know if these Knowledge-Seekers could speak. If they could, she'd never heard one before, but they seemed able to communicate with Wan.

A few moments later, Wan Shi Tong turned to inspect Jinora again. "Oh, you have _not _been very forthcoming with me at all, young Master."

"What? What did he say?"

Wan Shi Tong ruffled his wings again until a feather dislodged from his coat. It floated down onto the floor in front of Jinora. "You should have told me she's dead," Wan said. "Now I wonder…why do you _really _seek this spirit?"

"She—she's not dead!" Jinora argued.

"I should remind you that the spirits of deceased humans cannot be returned to their bodies as a form of resurrection," Wan Shi Tong replied with his earlier coldness, "Though many have tried."

"But she's not dead," Jinora persisted, "Just tell me where she is, please."

Wan Shi Tong lifted one massive wing to point at the feather by Jinora's feet. It was a normal looking owl feather, except it was nearly three feet long and black as midnight. "My Knowledge-Seeker has seen her near the Fog of Lost Souls. That feather will guide you to her, though you will not find her as you remember her. Tread with care, young Air Master. Even human spirits can be dangerous." And with those very reassuring words, he flew off into the depths of his Spirit Library.

_Great, _Jinora thought_. Thanks for that. _She picked up the feather in both hands and was very surprised to find that it was heavy. At her touch, the feather assumed a life of its own and floated in front of her. Wan Shi Tong's Knowledge-Seeker walked over to Jinora and rubbed his head against her leg, like a friendly air-lemur, and she smiled sadly as she patted his head.

Without warning, the feather took off down the hall. "Hey, wait!" Jinora called after it, making her feel somewhat stupid for having yelled at a feather. She used her airbending to create a ball of wind for her to ride on as she chased Wan Shi Tong's feather through the library. Down this hall, Jinora knew, led to a large window that served as an exit, and the feather rounded the corner and flew out into the wide Spirit World to, hopefully, lead her to Asami's spirit.

_"You should have told me she's dead…You will not find her as you remember her," _Wan Shi Tong had said.

_I'm not even going to think about it, _Jinora thought. _Asami is not dead…she's not dead._

It's hard to keep track of time when you're in the Spirit World, but after what seemed to be twenty minutes, Wan Shi Tong's feather finally came to stop on a hill that overlooked a dark valley. The feather floated down to rest on a small stone, and Jinora descended from the air as well. The quill of the feather was pointing toward the valley below, and looking over the edge revealed a truly horrible sight.

It was indeed the Fog of Lost Souls. The 'fog' was actually a large mist-like spirit, and this pit of despair served as a prison of sorts for other spirits, be they human or otherwise. Jinora could hear the moaning of those unfortunate enough to fall victim to the Fog's mind-altering energy, but there was a noticeable difference about this pit. A large, blood-red tower had been erected right in the middle of the Fog. While Jinora inspected this new structure, she gasped as she realized that it was an exact replica of the tower on Air Temple Island, though it was colored a deep shade of crimson. The only word Jinora could think of to describe it was _blood_. This new Air Temple was the color of fresh blood.

"What's that doing here?" Jinora asked aloud. That awful building hadn't been there the last time she'd been in the Spirit World. At her words, the large black feather jostled back up into the air and sped off toward the Fog-tower. Her stomach dropped as she understood. Asami's lost spirit was _inside _the tower.

Jinora hesitated, not sure what to do from here. If Asami's spirit really was in that tower, then perhaps the Fog of Lost Souls had already tainted her essence, and Jinora would have a much harder time convincing Asami to come with her. Jinora desperately wanted her father here to help her, and for a moment she considered leaving to inform Tenzin and Katara of what she'd found. But she didn't. She'd been sent here to find Asami and bring her back, and that's what she was going to do.

With a deep breath, Jinora summoned a large gust of air and launched herself at the top of the Fog-tower. The very top level of the tower wasn't submerged in the Fog, so Jinora didn't have to subject herself to its mind-controlling madness. She didn't exhale until her feet landed on the tower's top floor—for fear of accidentally inhaling the Fog—and as she breathed heavily she looked all around her, her hands out in a defensive posture.

The top level of this tower was open to the air, unlike the Air Temple, and it reminded Jinora more of a lighthouse or bell-tower. But there was nothing up here. Nothing, except the prone figure against the wall.

"Asami?" Jinora called out, not really at the figure, but just out loud to break the stifling silence all around her. The only thing she could hear was the soft moaning of lost souls who'd been driven mad by the Fog, their anguished cries echoing up from the valley below.

The shadowy figure was lying on the floor with its back facing Jinora. At her words, it jumped up to its feet and lunged head-first at the young airbender, knocking her over onto her back. Jinora screamed as the specter wrapped its hands around her throat and began to squeeze. With the last breath of air in her body, Jinora exhaled onto this monster and put the full force of her airbending prowess into this breath, blowing the dark spirit off and away from her. It collided against the far wall where it had originally been lying, and she heard it begin to whimper as it shrank back into a fetal position.

Jinora gasped for breath as she got to her feet, backing up against the wall to her left. "A-asami…" she spluttered. "Asami! Where are you?"

She inspected this dark spirit as it lay whimpering pitifully on the floor. If it hadn't attacked her, she might have felt sorry for it. It was a slender spirit, humanoid in shape with two arms and two legs. It was the same color as this awful tower, a dark crimson that looked much too similar to blood, and just like the tower, this creature was the same color from head to toe, as if this spirit was made of gore. That thought sent shivers down Jinora's spine.

"What did you do to Asami?" Jinora demanded of this blood-colored spirit. "Where is she? Please, I'm just looking for a friend."

The spirit began to whimper loudly. It sounded like _crying_.

"Leave…" it whispered, "…leave…"

Jinora bent her head forward to get a better look at this spirit. It had hair, or what seemed like hair, though it was the same shade of crimson as the rest of its body. The spirit looked up at her, and this made Jinora jump. The spirit didn't have eyes. Where its eyes should have been, there were two small green flames burning in the sockets, like two small candles. But that wasn't what scared Jinora.

Jinora _recognized _this spirit's face.

"Asami…?"

"Leave, Jinora…please…" it said in a hoarse voice.

"Asami!" Jinora rushed forward and picked her up by the shoulders. At first this new Dark Asami resisted violently against her, but Jinora subdued her with all the spiritual Chi she could muster. The spirit seemed to give up eventually, and Jinora gently sat her down on the floor.

She couldn't believe it.

_This…thing…is Asami, _she thought. _What happened to her?_

"Asami, I'm so glad I found you," she whispered.

The spirit-Asami wouldn't look at her. It was unnerving to see this blood-soaked version of Asami, and the fire of her green eyes died a little as she began to cry again. It was a wailing sound, and it wasn't too different from the moaning of the lost spirits below.

"You need to leave," Asami cried.

"Yes, I do," Jinora agreed. "And you're coming with me. We've got to get you back into your body!" That was probably the most absurd thing Jinora had ever said, but that was her mission, after all. She was still shocked that she'd found Asami, even if she was in such a deplorable state.

Asami snapped her gaze onto Jinora, the green fire suddenly blazing to new life. "I…can't. I'm not going back," she said.

"Wha—but…I don't understand," Jinora stuttered. "Don't you get it? I'm here to _save _you, Asami."

"I know what you're here to do!" Asami screeched as she stood back up. The green fire in her eyes began to spread across her face and up into her blood-covered hair, and her body quaked with rage. "_That's _why I'm not going, I won't let you take me. I…_can't_ go back."

Jinora's stomach and heart dropped. "You mean…you can't go through the Portal?" Had Jinora come here in vain? This had indeed been a thought in the back of her mind: What if Asami's spirit couldn't go back through the Portal?

"No, that's…that's not what I mean!" Asami's green fire covered her entire form as her anger increased. It began to burn away the blood that soaked her body, like a red-hot brand cauterizing a giant wound, and as the fire began to burn hotter and hotter she backed away from Jinora. Asami flung her arms all around her like some convulsing dance, the motion of her arms flinging drops of blood onto the floor. After another wild moment of this, Asami's fire snuffed out and she crumpled to the floor.

"Asami!" Jinora said, rushing over to help her. All of the blood had been burned away, and it revealed Asami's normal lily-white skin color and raven hair. Her eyes retained a small green flame in each socket, but these were nearly nonexistent.

Jinora turned her over so that Asami's head was in her lap. "You don't…know," Asami whispered.

"Then tell me," Jinora said as she fought back tears.

Asami shook her head. "Jinora, I…I love Korra."

"Why won't you come back, then? Don't you think Korra wants to have you with her? She gave you a piece of her Avatar Spirit so that you would _live_, Asami!"

Now Asami's tiny green flames were fully extinguished as she sobbed with renewed force. "No, no, no…not just a piece…" she mumbled.

_What? _"Asami…?"

"Korra didn't give me a _piece _of her spirit," Asami choked. "She gave me _half_."

Jinora was still very confused. _Does it matter how much she gave you? As long as it worked to keep you alive, _she thought.

"Yes," Jinora said. She began to stroke Asami's hair awkwardly in an attempt to comfort her. "Which is why you're still here. Your body is alive, but it needs _you_ to survive."

Nothing Jinora said made Asami feel any better, and she only increased her crying. "She gave me half of her Avatar Spirit, Jinora! _Half!_ I _cannot _go back…as long as I'm alive, Korra…"

"Korra will what?" Jinora soon wished she hadn't asked: nothing could've prepared her for the answer.

"As long as I'm alive," Asami continued, "Korra will never be able to bend. Once I die…once my body dies, my half of Raava will go back into Korra, and then she'll be fine. I'm not going back, Jinora."


	24. Chapter 23: Exorcism

CHAPTER XXIII: EXORCISM

"Jinora!" Korra said before becoming fully awake. She splashed around in the healing-pool as she attemptedto stand up, but her legs wouldn't allow it. Asami was still unconscious in the water next to her.

"Easy, Korra," Katara whispered. The elderly woman was standing over Korra while she continued to heal them, her weathered**, **wrinkled eyes shut in concentration.

"Katara…she found her," Korra said between gasping for breath. She'd just _seen _Jinora with Asami. Or rather, what Asami had become. "She _found _her."

"I feel it, too," Tenzin said. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his eyes also closed in meditation.

"Asami…" Korra whispered under her breath as she grasped the Sato heiress**'** hand under the water. "Don't do this…_please _come back…"

Once Jinora had physically entered the Spirit World and Tenzin had returned to the compound, Korra had meditated into the Spirit World to follow the young airbender. Truth be told, she hadn't been to the Spirit World since before her fight with Zaheer, but under the soothing influence of Katara's healing, Korra found it rather easy for her to meditate. Upon entering the Spirit World, however, Korra found that the spiritual projection of herself wasn't tangible. She had been invisible and unable to communicate with Jinora, or anyone else, and so she had silently followed the airbender while she had searched for Asami.

Korra had heard Asami's confession to Jinora, the ensuing heartbreak of which had forced Korra awake. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to process Asami's revelation.

_I have to choose between bending and Asami? How could Asami think I'd rather have bending than her?! _Korra's tears felt equally hot from rage and cold from despair. She looked down at her submerged legs, letting her liquid emotions spill from her chin into the healing-water. For a brief instant, Korra wondered if Katara could use her tears to heal her, and she almost laughed out loud at the sheer insanity of this thought. Her muffled laugh morphed into more sobbing as her thoughts returned to Asami's situation.

"You have to get her out, Tenzin!" Korra said to him suddenly. "She's not going to come on her own!"

Korra's outburst startled Tenzin for a moment, and he opened his eyes to look at her. "I—I'm sure it's going to be alright, Korra. Jinora will signal me in a moment and I'll—"

"No, you don't understand!" Korra interrupted him. She groaned through her loss of words. But an idea came to her.

Korra had been invisible in the Spirit World, of which she had been simultaneously grateful and frustrated: Grateful that Jinora had found Asami, but frustrated that neither of them could see nor hear her. If she could make herself visible to Asami, she was sure she could dissuade the Sato girl from sacrificing herself, but Korra didn't know _why _her spiritual projection was invisible.

* * *

"But…" Jinora said**.** "But Korra wouldn't want—"

"Don't say it," Asami cut her off. The green fire in her eyes was still dim. "I _know _Korra would want me to live, Jinora, of course I know that."

"Then why not come with me? You're not making any sense."

"Because it's not about Korra!" Asami seemed near to another fit of rage, the green fire springing back to mini-bonfire size. Jinora could still hear the moaning of the lost spirits underneath them in the Fog, and she wondered if Asami had been affected by it. "Well, it _is _about her," Asami backtracked, "…but it's about what the world _needs_, not what I _want_. The world needs an Avatar…and I couldn't…I can't be the one to take that away."

"But…" Jinora began to understand Asami's selfless determination (even if she thought it was ridiculous), but she wasn't going to give up. Her father, grandmother, and Korra were counting on her.

"Just go home, Jinora," Asami said as she slumped down to the floor. She looked up at the younger girl. "Don't tell Korra. Just…say you couldn't find me, or—"

"Oh no," Jinora countered. "No, no, no, you're _not _going to do this, Asami! You want me to _lie _to Korra so _you _can die? Are you insane?" Jinora knelt down next to Asami and shook her by the shoulders. "You say you don't want to live with the guilt of robbing the world of its current Avatar, but expect me to live with the guilt of robbing Korra of _you?!_ How is that fair?"

"It's not," Asami sobbed as she looked away. "But it's the only way."

"Asami—" Jinora stopped short as she inspected the spiritual Asami. When she'd found her at the top of this horrific tower, Asami had been covered in blood. During their conversation the blood had slowly been burned off of her, but now Jinora saw it coming back. Tiny specks of crimson began to seep out of Asami's pores, gathering together in splotches all over her form before moving, of its own accord, to completely cover her.

"Asami!" Jinora gasped. The Sato woman began to convulse again, much like she did earlier while her green fire had melted the dried blood, and she was mumbling.

"I…told you to leave," Asami said to Jinora. "Now you're…too late. They're back…"

"W-what?" Jinora was struggling to contain her fear. Even though they were high above the Fog of Lost Souls, Jinora had begun to think that they weren't entirely out of its reach. "Who's back? It's just us up here, Asami, it's just us."

"Get away!" Asami pushed against her with astonishing force, sending the young Air Master hurdling through the air. Jinora crashed into the far wall and collapsed. Her head struck the wall hard, and as she looked up from the floor tiny stars speckled her vision. Asami was yanked upwards to her feet, as if by invisible strings.

-_Did you think we wouldn't follow you?_

_ -Who's your friend, Asami?_

Jinora squinted around to locate the source of these voices, but she couldn't see anyone. Asami was now twisting violently in place, shaking her head this way and that. Her arms were behind her back, as if her hands were bound.

"Don't hurt her! She doesn't know!" Asami yelled to these voices.

_-You mean you haven't told her? How impolite!_

_ -Is that any way to treat your friends, Asami?_

While Jinora still couldn't see where these voices were coming from, she could hear them distinctly. One sounded like a young girl, perhaps no older than Jinora herself. The other was the voice of a young man, but both of these disembodied sounds had dark undertones.

Before Jinora's eyes, one of the voice's owners appeared next to Asami. It was indeed a young girl of about Jinora's age. She was slightly taller than Jinora, with blonde hair and a freckled face that was destroyed by a malicious grin. This young girl was wreathed in shadows like someone's worst nightmare, and she held Asami's left arm behind her back.

The girl stared pointedly at Jinora with her head cocked to one side. "Oh my, she's so _pretty_, don't you think, Asami?" The shadowy girl cackled in Asami's ear, who was now in tears. "Would _she _have been your type?"

Another spirit materialized on Asami's right, and this newcomer was holding her other arm. This one was a young man of perhaps eighteen or nineteen, with dark brown shoulder-length hair, but apart from that, Jinora couldn't make out any of his facial features. Where a face should have been, there was only a yawning hole surrounded by fire. As he spoke, his voice echoed out from this black hole.

This male spirit gave Asami's arm a sharp tug. "I can't believe you didn't tell her about us, Asami. I'm hurt."

"Jinora…" Asami whispered through her tears. "Go…_please_."

"So it's _Jinora!_" the young blonde girl screeched. "What a name! You _do_ know how to pick 'em, Sato!"

"Leave her alone!" Jinora yelled at Asami's harassers. She got to her feet and thrust her arms out, one at each spirit, and threw two large gusts of wind at them. The two dark spirits dissipated like sugar stirred into water before rematerializing in front of Jinora. They each grabbed one of Jinora's arms.

* * *

Korra sat in the healing-pool in silence as she idly examined the unconscious Asami. Katara was still standing over them as she continued her healing, Tenzin was still sitting cross-legged on the floor as he meditated, and Korra was sure her heart was going to fail any moment now.

_They wouldn't be so calm if they knew_, Korra thought. Asami wasn't going to come back into the physical world. Asami _wanted _to die so that Korra could keep her bending ability, all through some misguided attempt at selflessness. If Asami was awake, Korra would have yelled at her. She briefly considered yelling at Tenzin, but that wouldn't save Asami any faster. _For spirit's sake, she's an heiress! 'Selfless' used to not even be in her vocabulary!_

So instead of yelling, Korra leaned her head against the side of the pool and examined Asami. She couldn't make herself cry, the tears having dried up hours ago, but she still wanted to. Korra couldn't imagine living without Asami. She didn't want to be the Avatar if it meant sacrificing her best friend, but Asami was much more than that now. They weren't quite lovers (at least, not yet), but 'girlfriend' wasn't quite right, either, and a simple 'friend' didn't do their relationship proper justice. There was not a single word that accurately summed up Korra's feelings for the raven-haired woman next to her. There was only _Asami_. Korra didn't want to be the Avatar in a world without _Asami_.

"You don't have to do this," Korra whispered to Asami, low enough that neither of the elders in the room heard her. She was still clasping Asami's hand under the water. "Please don't do this…"

Even though Korra was holding Asami's hand, no sign of their earlier sensory-link remained.

Korra was no stranger to hopelessness, but this current feeling was quite impossible to describe. She'd been in terrible situations before. Life-threatening, life-changing situations. But all of those had involved some degree of physical harm, some act of violence or combat that could be resolved with more violence. In some ways, this current catastrophe was no different. Violence had gotten them here. Tenora's attack, through Timori, had ended Asami's life. However, even if Sahno Tenora were here right now, and even if Korra was capable of killing him _right now_, not even that would save Asami. Violence had gotten them here, but violence would not save Asami.

Unable to find fitting words to describe this feeling, Korra fell back on the twin pools of emotion that she knew so well. She felt her reservoirs of rage and confusion overflow once more, finally taking a physical shape in the form of warm tears. Korra buried her face in Asami's neck and wept.

"Dammit!" she gasped between sobs, startling both Katara and Tenzin. Still holding Asami's limp hand under the water, Korra reached around with her other arm and held Asami close to her. "Damn you, Asami. I…I hate you…" She knew she didn't mean any of it.

By now both Tenzin and Katara were watching with downcast eyes. They knew better than to speak, both of them having dealt with Korra for most of her life. They knew she needed to vent, so they didn't speak, and Korra continued weeping and cursing.

* * *

"Asami, help!"

The two dark spirits were holding Jinora, and try as she might, she couldn't get away. They weren't necessarily powerful, but something about them, about this _tower_, had caused Jinora's spiritual prowess to wane. With her arms held in place, she couldn't airbend, either. The newly blood-covered Asami was crying on the floor in front of Jinora.

"What do you want with me?" Jinora yelled at her captors, at which they both laughed.

The young girl-demon smiled, a toothy grin that exuded malicious intent. "We know why you're here," she said with a nod at Asami. "Our _friend_ told us everything. But…she hasn't told _you _a thing, has she?"

"Told me what?" Jinora whimpered. "Who are you?"

It was the male spirit's turn to speak now, his head still burning with dark flame. "We're Asami's best friends, of course. She never left us, even after all these years, takes us with her everywhere, in fact."

"…I don't…I do not…" Asami said in a defeated tone.

The two spirits whipped their heads around to pierce Asami with their twin gazes. "Yes, you do!" the young girl wailed. "Even when you were with the Avatar, even when you were happy, _we _were always there! It's _our _opinions that matter the most to you!"

"No…" was all Asami said.

"_Yes,_" the girl-spirit countered, layering her tone with adolescent sarcasm. "Every time, Asami. Every _single _time you've kissed her, I was there. You know it's true. You always think of _me_ or what _I _would saywhen you're with _her_, and you can't deny it."

Asami's sobbing only increased in volume and quantity. She began to roll gently back and forth on the ground, her crimson body leaving gore stains in her wake.

The girl-demon laughed again, and she turned back to look at Jinora, her eyes now the color of blood, the same shade of sanguine that covered this building and Asami. "You see, _Jinora_, we're here because Asami can't live without us. She loves _us_, always did…and always will."

"No…" Asami whispered.

The burning-hole man picked up the thread now. "That's right, we were Asami's first loves. She was so happy with us, but tell me, _Jinora_…" He let go of Jinora's arm to point at the pitiful Asami on the floor, then indicated the tower around them. He was holding Jinora with only one hand now. "Does _that_ look like someone who deserves any happiness? Her emotions gave us new life and created this tower, a beacon of despair for anguish to live in for eternity."

Jinora inhaled, and time seemed to halt. In this brief-but-infinite gap, she locked eyes with the blood-covered Asami. Real eyes, not green fire, looked back at her, and Jinora saw tears stream down Asami's face. In this moment, she understood. These two spirits were Giji Kirasito and Rinsho Hikari. At one point in time, they had indeed been two individuals that Asami thought she loved, but they were also her most lasting regrets, for different reasons. Giji represented Asami's fear of exclusion based on her bisexuality, while Rinsho was heartbreak incarnate. A love that wasn't reciprocated and a love that abused its lover.

It was equally wondrous and horrifying that Asami's memories had come alive here in the Spirit World. Jinora knew that this spoke volumes of Asami's innate spiritual prowess, but a feat like this shouldn't have been possible. Even Jinora couldn't conjure up spirits like this. _Could Asami's emotions be that strong? _

Before now, Jinora had not known about Asami's bisexuality. _"When you were with the Avatar…every time you kissed her…" _the girl-spirit had mocked Asami. Realization colored Jinora's mind like spilled paint on white carpet. _Asami and Korra, _she thought.

Jinora exhaled. She twisted her arm out of Rinsho's temporarily weak grasp and shoved him off the tower, her exhalation blasting him off his feet. Before Giji could respond, Jinora executed a swift leg sweep and wrenched her other arm from the young girl's clutch. Keeping her momentum, Jinora twirled around to gather the wind before sending Giji off the tower as well.

"Let's go, Asami!" Jinora rushed to her side and got Asami to her feet. Unsurprisingly, Asami was difficult to help stand. _Being covered in blood is like being covered in oil, _Jinora thought as she and Asami hobbled over to the edge of the tower.

"Jinora…" Asami whispered. "I'm so sorry you—"

"Save it, Asami, we're leaving!"

Jinora wrapped her arms around Asami and closed her eyes to concentrate. She didn't care where they went, as long as it wasn't here. Screeches and moans echoed up to them from the Fog of Lost Souls, and right before Jinora and Asami vanished, Jinora heard Giji and Rinsho wail in disbelief.

* * *

Asami gasped. Korra shrieked. Tenzin knocked over his burning incense sticks, nearly setting his cloak ablaze.

"Asami?" Korra said. The sickly-pale and raven-haired woman had just _gasped for breath_. Korra had been lightly dozing against her shoulder, having once again cried herself into fatigue, but now Asami had actually showed some sign of life!

_Please come back, Asami, please. _

"Was that her?" Tenzin asked. He was on his feet now next to Katara, and they both peered anxiously at the unconscious Sato.

"Yeah, she's breathing heavier now," Korra replied. She put one hand to Asami's chest, just below the collar bone, to feel the rate of her breathing. It was much faster. "Do you think they're close?"

Tenzin frowned. "I haven't been able to detect a signal from Jinora yet. Still, they should have been ready by now." The Air Master walked to the healing-room's exit and slid the doors ajar. "Captain," he said to someone outside, "gather your men. We're going to the Southern Portal."

"I'm going with you," Korra said.

Both Katara and Tenzin frowned. "Korra…" Katara began.

"I'm going with him," Korra insisted once more. "Asami needs me."

"Yes, she does," Tenzin agreed. "She needs you _safe_. Your spirits are linked, and frankly, we don't know the full extent—"

"I'm going with you."

Korra knew she was being stubborn. She also knew that this demand was impractical. After all, she still couldn't walk unaided. But Korra had come to the conclusion that only she could help Asami's disconnected spirit back into the physical world. Jinora will guide her there, but Korra will be the one to pull her through.

Asami gasped again and issued a horrible gurgling sound, like someone drowning in shallow water. Her eyes had yet to open. Whatever Jinora was doing with her in the Spirit World, Korra silently pleaded that she hurry up.

Korra had let go of Asami's hand as she'd argued with Tenzin, but now she reached under the healing-water to grip both of them. Upon contact with both of Asami's hands, Korra felt an inward pulling sensation, as if someone was sucking out her insides with a large straw. The pain was incredible. Gut-wrenching, heart-stopping agony arced throughout her limbs, though the worst of it didn't seem physical. Her _soul _hurt as this strange suffering swept through her like an avalanche of misery, and all this time the weird inward sucking sensation increased. Korra yelped in fright before collapsing against Asami.

Everything went dark. Katara, Tenzin, the healing-room, _Asami_, it all vanished from Korra's sight. She still felt the strange inner pulling, but her bodily pain had ceased. Korra drifted in and out of awareness for what seemed like hours. She caught a few fleeting images as they raced past her, and as she became more frightened she honed in on these to keep herself alive.

Birds. They were birds, or what looked like birds. At first dozens of them, then hundreds, then dozens again. She saw birds that didn't fly like normal birds, birds that were much too large to be birds. These birds occasionally exploded into several dozen smaller birds before reforming again. Korra thought they looked rather fearsome when they were in their large form, but she knew by instinct that they meant her no harm.

Korra sat up and looked around when she realized that she'd been lying on her back. An unwelcome sight greeted her vision. Awful memories that she wanted to forget came rushing back as she inspected her whereabouts. The Tree of Time reared its menacing limbs in the distance, as did the swirling gray mountains surrounding it all. The twin Spirit Portals shot upwards on both sides of the Tree like two beacons to Korra's past failures. She still wasn't quite sure about her decision to keep the Portals open.

Korra herself had been lying next to one of the Portals. She didn't have to be told that it was the Southern Portal. She just knew.

Jinora and Asami materialized several yards ahead of Korra. Upon appearing they both fell to their knees, both of them gasping for breath. Korra saw that Jinora was shaking a little bit while Asami began to sob on the ground. Asami was still covered in fresh crimson, and a lot of the gore had spattered onto Jinora as well.

_Asami!_ Korra got to her feet (a fact she was grateful for) and ran over to the two girls. Her first instinctual thought was to help Asami, to touch her, to know she was alright, but something stopped her. The gore-smeared woman was barely recognizable, a bloody silhouette of the _real _Asami, the Asami that Korra loved, the Asami that Korra needed to be alive. She truly was ecstatic to know that the two of themwere safe, but seeing Asami covered in this sanguine shroud mauled Korra's senses and ravaged her memory.

She saw once more as those street thugs, hired by Tenora, beat Asami mercilessly until her ribs broke. She relived when Timori plunged his blade into Asami's abdomen, the blood pouring from the deep wound like a running faucet. She remembered her own helplessness when Tenora himself had attacked them on Air Temple Island with his vile bloodbending, an agony that Korra would never forget. The blood that now covered Asami reflected all of Korra's previous failures to protect her.

Feeling a renewed sense of pain in her own chest, Korra looked down to discover a large crimson stain just above her waist. She clutched her side and gasped. Her clothes were wet with blood, and it was spreading! Korra yelled in shock, but the other two girls didn't seem to notice.

Neither Jinora nor Asami could hear, see, or feel Korra. Just like before when she'd followed Jinora, Korra had become like a ghost in the Spirit World. It tore her heart to be so close to Asami yet not be able to help her, let alone speak to her. "Asami…" she whispered as she fell to knees, her own bloodstains spreading across her body. _Why is this happening, _she thought.

_-Because she doesn't deserve you._

"Who's there?" Korra said aloud. Jinora and Asami couldn't hear her or the voice, and no answer echoed back to Korra.

"Asami, are you alright?" Jinora said. She walked right through Korra as if she wasn't there and helped Asami to her feet. She was still crying, though the green fire in her eyes was gone and replaced with her normal human eyes. Asami was now a figure of complete redness with two dots of emerald to see with. But the blood on Asami was starting to recede.

_-We're through with her, _the voice said to Korra. _Now it's your turn…_

Jinora helped Asami to her feet, but she pulled her hand free from Jinora's grasp. She hung her head as she began to speak.

"You can't take me back, Jinora."

The young Air Master's face fell. She took a deep breath. "Listen, Asami, I get it. I really do. But if you really loveKorra, you know that she'd want you alive."

_-But does she really love you? Why would she, _the voices mocked Korra. _She loves only herself. Her selfishness created us…_

"Go…away!" Korra screamed. The blood had reached her throat, and it scalded her skin as it inched down her arms and up her neck.

Asami shook her head and wrung her hands. Korra collapsed onto the ground as she watched the two of them argue, not being more than three feet away, invisible and unimportant. The spreading blood had encompassed her lower body by now and was working its way up her chest. Korra could feel the tingly creeping of it, like a million droplets of sweat sliding up her skin instead of down. She tried to block out the voices she was hearing, the voices of this blood. The same voices she'd heard in that dark forest. But that had been a dream…

As Asami shook her head, drops of blood detached from her face and gravitated toward Korra to join the crimson tide. Asami was almost uncovered; her legs were back to their normal lily-white.

"I've told you, Jinora," Asami said. "While I'm alive—"

"—Korra won't be able to bend," Jinora finished for her with angry sarcasm. "So what? Do you think your life means so little to Korra, to _all_ of us?" The younger girl wasn't quite as tall as Asami, yet she stared up at her like a scolding parent. Jinora waited a moment before continuing. "Did you ever oncethink about what your friends would want? Do you really believe that Mako, Bolin, my family, or even _your father _would agree to this, just so Korra can keep her bending?"

Asami began to retort but halted. She looked down at her body, as did Jinora, and they both marveled at the disappearing blood. Korra was almost fully covered now, and she extended one arm out. "A-asami…" she moaned to deaf ears.

_-Listen to us! She hates you, _the voices raged. _She'd rather die than be with you, she said so herself!_

"No…" Korra whispered. She looked up into Asami eyes, even though she couldn't see Korra.

In desperation, Korra reached out to grab Asami's ankle, but her ghostly fingers passed right through the flesh. Any remaining speck of red on Asami's body flung itself away from her and converged onto Korra, sending her and Asami into agonizing spasms. Jinora screamed as Korra lost consciousness once more, or rather, as her consciousness departed. Korra didn't know where she was going, but a sense of travel entered her awareness, like sleeping on an air-bison during a long flight: She knew she was going _somewhere_, but not exactly where.

_Finally, reunion. I am whole again._

Screams that were not her own escaped Korra's mouth as lines of blue and white electricity arced between her and Asami. The blood evaporated away, Korra became visible, and Asami's demons fled Korra's mind as Raava purged them.


	25. Chapter 24: Body and Soul

CHAPTER XXIV: BODY AND SOUL

Asami and Korra crumpled to the ground at Jinora's feet. Asami _and _Korra.

_How did Korra get here? _Jinora thought. Korra had materialized next to Asami right before they both started squirming in pain. Korra was covered in blood, just like Asami had been earlier. Before she could bend down to help either one of them, Jinora was thrust backward by a wall of light. An immense radiance began to shine from both women while bloodcurdling screams echoed out of Korra.

Korra wasn't the one screaming in pain, but the sound came from her open mouth. Both Korra and Asami had their eyes shut. The screaming continued as Jinora watched the white light burn the blood off Korra, leaving it pooled next to her in a boiling puddle. When all the blood was off, Korra quit screeching, but the blinding light hadn't gone away.

_Do not be afraid, child, _a voice said in Jinora's ear. She turned to see who had spoken, but no one was there. It wasn't a frightening voice like Giji's or Rinsho's, but instead a soothing one, though Jinora found it hard to _not_ be afraid.

Korra and Asami were hoisted up like lifeless puppets. They turned to face each other, though both still had their eyes shut, and they clasped each other's hands. The light intensified for a few moments as they continued facing each other. Jinora was still on the ground, watching with wonder and anxiety. _What's happening to them? Should I do something?_

"Korra!" Jinora tried shouting, though she didn't expect either girl to answer her. A violent wind began to swirl around them, a whirlwind of the elements. Lines of fire and water wrapped around the two of them while small rocks and sand orbited them like rings. This elemental chrysalis had begun to harden when Jinora noticed the pool of blood rising. "Korra, Asami!" she tried again, but to no avail.

The discarded pool of blood had taken a life of its own, rising in a thin trickle like a serpent. Jinora yelled just as it turned to Korra and Asami and struck their elemental casing. The chrysalis faltered for a moment, and the blood grew bolder. It split itself into two crimson snakes, and each one began attacking the elemental barrier. With each successive hit the barrier grew weaker, until finally Jinora heard two different voices cry out. They weren't the soothing voice from a moment ago.

-_They are OURS!_

_ -You won't take them!_

The twin threads of blood thickened until they were as wide around as Jinora's whole body. Korra and Asami's barrier began to buckle. Every strike caused the blood snakes to increase in size, siphoning power from the barrier until they grew to the size of small dragons, still continuing their assault.

-_She deserves to die!_

_ -What right has she to live?!_

_ Oh no_, Jinora thought as she realized who these other voices belonged to. Now she _knew _she had to do something. _But what?_

The sanguine dragons roared with hatred while they continued pounding on Asami and Korra's elemental shield. They completely ignored Jinora, who was now standing back out of the way. Korra and Asami both shuddered after every blow they received. _Any longer, and they'll break through the barrier, _Jinora thought. Jinora looked to the Spirit Portal. It was only a few feet away. _We were so close_. But an idea occurred to her just then.

Jinora positioned herself so that Korra and Asami were between her and the Portal. _I hope this works, _she pleaded. She spread her feet out in a power stance and summoned as much wind as she could, waiting for the right moment. The blood dragons Giji and Rinsho were still assaulting the elemental shield, and they had all but shattered the spiritual barrier. _Just a little more…_

Finally, they broke through. The cocoon of elements dissipated for a moment, and both dragons reared their heads for a final strike. Jinora worked fast as she condensed her gathered wind into an air-boulder and hurled it at the two women. Her air-blast carried Asami and Korra out of the dragons' reach and shoved them into the Spirit Portal, but they didn't disappear, not right away.

Both women were suspended in the light of the Spirit Portal, momentarily frozen in place. Hands still clasped and eyes still closed, neither Korra nor Asami moved for several moments. Then the Portal exploded.

The twin blood dragons Giji and Rinsho melted like butteras all the light from the Portal swept over them. Energy crackled in the air around Jinora like lightning, and she yelped as she felt an uncomfortable spiritual yank, much like she'd felt upon entering the Spirit World. Jinora herself was flung backward by the explosion, though she didn't suffer like the living blood. She flew thirty meters before landing hard on her back, but the urgency in her gut ignited her reflexes, so she sprung up to her feet. When Jinora looked up, the Southern Spirit Portal was in shambles.

Where there was once a single beam of spiritual energy, there was now a cascade of light pouring around Korra and Asami. Arcs of energy and light spread out in all directions like a raging wildfire, and Jinora had to shield her eyes to see past the blinding radiance.

Both Korra and Asami disappeared into what was left of the Portal. Right before they vanished, Jinora stood and sprinted into the ruined Portal, but she also saw their eyes.

Korra _and _Asami's eyes were glowing.

* * *

Upon hearing a crackle of energy and an old woman's cry for help, the lone White Lotus guard rushed into the healing-room.

He had chosen to stay behind and guard Katara while his captain and three lieutenants had gone with Master Tenzin to retrieve Master Jinora from the Spirit Portal. He hated the frigid temperatures of the Southern Water Tribe, as he vastly preferred Air Temple Island, where he was normally stationed. His unit, including the captain and three lieutenants, had been transferred down here to accompany Master Tenzin and his family, and so far he'd hated every minute of it. He'd been standing guard outside Katara's healing-room, but a sudden burst of noise demanded his attention.

Katara had collapsed onto the floor, terror evident in her wrinkled visage, and an abnormal whiteness was emanating from the healing-pool. He could not see the Avatar or Miss Sato at all, as a pearl-white dome had formed to cover the pool. The dome shone like the sun, much too bright for him to look at directly, and its radiance filled the room. But the dome wasn't all white: He saw traces of flame and what looked like rock encircling the healing-pool.

Despite the bizarre circumstances, the young guard acted quickly as he leaped to the old woman's side. "Are you alright, ma'am?" He had to yell over the sound coming from the pool. It sounded like…a White Lotus guard bent down to help Katara up, gently lifting her from the floor to a sitting position and dragging her away from the healing-pool. She didn't appear too hurt, but any fall in her age could spell trouble.

Katara merely nodded her head to affirm she was OK. She shielded her eyes with an arm as the young guard crouched in front of her in a defensive posture. He didn't know what this strange dome was going to do, but the rushing-water noise coming from it began to increase in volume. His only thoughts were centered on Katara's safety.

The Water Tribe elder finally spoke after a moment. "Korra..." she said, pointing a crooked and bony finger at the sun-like dome over the healing-pool. The swirling uproar coming from the dome became louder, but the intensity of its light decreased, and now the White Lotus guard could see inside it.

The Avatar and Miss Sato were floating horizontally in mid-air just above the surface of the healing-water. Or at least, that's how it seemed at first. The young guard squinted his eyes to see past the brilliant light, and he saw that his first guess had been correct: This shining dome was made of healing-water, fire, and tiny pebbles. But the two women weren't floating in the air: They were completely submerged in a dome of swirling elements.

Their eyes were closed and they each held the other's hand. Being submerged didn't seem to affect them, for the guard saw no bubbles from their mouths to indicate breathing. Acting on instinct, he stood and thrust his hands out at the dome to try to bend some of the water out of it. Nothing happened, except both women opened their eyes.

This slight movement sent shockwaves through the healing-room. Pieces of wood and tile were stripped away from the floors and walls as the two women's shining dome collapsed and filled the room with even more light, if that was possible. The White Lotus guard flung himself in front of Katara to shield her from the blast and debris, but this wasn't necessary. He opened his eyes a moment later and gasped. The shrapnel of doors, wall-paneling, and tile were floating all around him, suspended in mid-air by spirits-know-what. The deafening noise from a moment ago was gone, and the only sounds came from Katara and the guard as they heaved. Katara leaned around him and gasped.

The White Lotus guard inched his head over his shoulder, expecting to see two dead girls amid the wreckage of the room. Instead, both the Avatar and Miss Sato were standing in the empty healing-pool, hands clasped and eyes open. Their hair floated around them as if they were still underwater, the individual strands held aloft by the power radiating from them. Their eyes were glowing.

* * *

"Oh no."

Tenzin and the four White Lotus guardsmen had arrived at the Southern Spirit Portal just in time. The weather had settled a bit, so their trip by air-bison had taken only a little over an hour. The captain of the White Lotus had insisted on taking two air-bison for safety in the event that the weather didn't hold, so they'd saddled Oogi and Pepper for the journey. Tenzin's original plan had been to enter the Portal himself and begin searching for Jinora and Asami. He and Jinora both would serve as physical anchors to bring Asami's wayward spirit back into the world, assuming that his daughter had found Asami.

But before they'd even landed among the trees surrounding the South Pole, the Southern Spirit Portal shattered into multiple rays of light. The normal blue light of the Portal forked out, changing colors as it shot in all directions, arcs of red tracing to the west, streams of green shooting into the east. Both Oogi and Pepper roared with surprise, as did their passengers, and the air-bison made a quick landing as Tenzin leaped from Oogi.

"Jinora! Jinora!" He didn't know what had caused the Portal to fail so horribly, but if Jinora got stuck inside…he didn't want to consider that. Multitudes of spirits raced out of the fractured Portal, large bird-like spirits mingling with the tiniest shades as they all fled the disaster. The Spirit Portal shuddered a final time, and a small figure emerged.

"Dad!"

"Jinora!" Tenzin ran to fold Jinora in a tight embrace. For a moment, he was still too choked up to speak. "Thank the spirits you're alright," Tenzin said. He noticed his eldest daughter was crying, and he held Jinora at arms-length by her shoulders to inspect her. "Jinora, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" He looked back at the Portal, or what was left of it. It was now a gently pulsing ray of blue again, though it still seemed very unstable. "What happened?!"

"Korra…Asami, I just—they were…" Jinora said, flustered, wiping tears from her face as she looked all around. "Asami and Korra, they—I pushed them out," she said, looking up into her father's worried eyes. "We have to get back to the healing-room!"

"What happened, Jinora?" Tenzin asked again. He tightened his grip on her shoulders for a second as he tried to keep his voice calm. "Did you find Asami?"

Jinora nodded furiously. "Yes, weren't you listening?! I found her, but she was covered in blood, they both were, Asami _and _Korra. But then there was this light, and a voice, and their _eyes_, Dad!"

The captain of the White Lotus dismounted from Oogi and jogged to meet Tenzin and Jinora. He bowed to them both before speaking. "It's very good to see you're OK, Master Jinora." He turned to Tenzin and pointed at the ruined Portal. "So what just happened to that thing? Are we safe here?"

"We _have _to get back to the compound, Dad," Jinora said. "We need to make sure their bodies are OK!" She broke free from Tenzin's grip and began to trudge through the snow toward Pepper, who had been ridden by the three White Lotus lieutenants.

Tenzin didn't waste any time. He floated himself back onto Oogi and waited for the White Lotus captain to climb up. "Jinora, I need you to tell me exactly what happened in there."

Jinora had already mounted Pepper and taken the reins from one of the White Lotus lieutenants. "There's no time, Dad!" she said. Without another word to her father, and without telling the three White Lotus guards to hang on, Jinora issued a brisk "Pepper, yip-yip!" and lifted into the air.

"Jinora, wait!" Tenzin called after her. He gave Oogi's reins a quick snap and looked behind him. "Hold tight, Captain." Oogi obeyed and rose into the night sky to chase after the Jinora-driven Pepper. Behind them, the Spirit Portal lay in shambles.

* * *

For several long moments, neither Katara nor the White Lotus guard spoke. They sat there and stared at the newly awakened Avatar and Asami Sato, and they stared back at them in silence. The guard didn't feel as if the women were staring at him, but rather _through _him, which unsettled him greatly. The healing-pool had been emptied during the brief explosion, splashes of water everywhere, and both women were still standing in the middle of the drained pool, eyes glowing with unnatural light.

Katara spoke first, still crouched on the floor. "Korra?" Neither girl moved. They were like glowing statues as they stood there, wordless and emotionless.

Then the Avatar tilted her head back and opened her mouth. She groaned, as if in some mild pain, and the guard noticed a silver sheen had begun to cover her body. He thought she was sweating at first, but the tiny beads of liquid were too shiny, too reflective, to be sweat. _Spirits help me, what's going on, _he thought.

"Master Katara," the guard said in a low voice. "Please, let's get you to safety."

The elderly woman studied him for an instant, a sad smile on her wrinkled face. "I believe we _are _safe, for now. Relax, young man, sit down." She patted the destroyed floor next to her. "We can only wait."

Still anxious, the guard sat next to her as they watched the two girls. "What in the world just happened to them? What's happening to the Avatar," he asked Katara.

She didn't answer for a long while. Her old, wise eyes examined the two glowing women, as if she'd find the answer on their faces. "Jinora succeeded," she said.

The Avatar was thoroughly drenched in the silver liquid, as more and more of it seeped out from her pores. She moaned louder from the effort; Miss Sato remained passive, eyes still glowing and still clasping the Avatar's hand. Lines of silver traced down the Avatar's legs as they dripped to the floor. The guard had never seen anything like it. The Avatar and Asami Sato had yet to cease glowing. The guard mused that they might stay this way forever, as living monuments. Several silent minutes went by before Katara spoke again.

"What is your name?"

The White Lotus guard had been inspecting the wreckage of the room. Debris still floated all around them like stars in the night sky. "Pardon?" he said.

"What is your name?" Katara asked him again. He turned to look at her quizzically. The old woman gave him another sad smile.

"Darmin, ma'am," he said.

"Well, Darmin," Katara sighed. "I forgive you." She clasped one of his hands in her own and squeezed. "I want you to know that it isn't your fault."

"I, um…what do you mean?"

Katara bent her chin down to her chest for a moment. "You have a good heart, I can tell." She released his hand and stood up slowly, groaning from the effort. She looked down at him. "When was the last time you saw a healer, Darmin?"

Darmin's face scrunched up as he thought. _When was the last time I saw a healer? _He was a waterbender himself, and could, in fact, heal a few minor wounds like bruises or small cuts. Besides, the Republic City healers charged an arm and a leg for walk-ins, not to mention the recent fiasco with Sahno Tenora.

He looked back up at Katara. "Before I was transferred here," he said. "Back in Republic City, I went with my some of my comrades."

The old Water Tribe woman frowned. She now spoke with urgency. "There were others? How long ago?"

"It's been a long while…I think a month ago, maybe two. I don't see healers very often, ma'am. But why do you want to know?"

Katara pointed to Avatar Korra, who had resumed a passive stance. All the silver fluid that had come out of her was pooled at her feet, and there was a lot of it. _What is that stuff?_

"Please know, Darmin," Katara said in a hushed tone. "I'm doing this for your own good. I hope you don't suffer."

Darmin also stood, and was about to ask why he would suffer when the transformation began. His muscles convulsed, causing all his limbs to stiffen as he fell onto his back. Katara whirled her arms around and lifted two streams of water from the ground and shot them at Darmin, freezing his arms in place. Two more bolts of water later and his legs were frozen to the ground as well. _What's happening to me?!_

Every fiber of his being was on fire. His arms and legs ached, not from Katara's waterbending, but from within, from the immense squeezing pressure he felt in his muscles. He thought his jugular vein was going to burst in his neck. His vision began to cloud, slowly blinding him, and he screamed for help. A moment later, Darmin couldn't see. He felt his body relax, and he almost thought his strange seizure was over. But it was just beginning. He listened in terror as he felt his own mouth speak, but the words and voice were not his, as if he was a puppet being controlled by someone else's hand.

"I don't believe we've met, Master Katara. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sahno Tenora."

* * *

Jinora had to squint her eyes to see past the wall of white snow before her. The weather had indeed turned on them a few minutes ago, snow falling heavily all around them, whipped into a small blizzard by the wind. They'd decreased their altitude to spare the air-bison a bit, but if they didn't reach the compound soon they would have to land and walk the rest of the way.

Through the nearly-blinding whiteness, Jinora spotted the dark circular shape of the White Lotus compound. Sure enough, as they flew nearer it came into view. _Thank the spirits, _she thought.

"There, I see it!" she shouted to the three lieutenants behind her. One of them, a firebender, stood up in the saddle and shot two short bursts of flame into the air to signal the other air-bison. Oogi, piloted by Tenzin, flew a little closer to Pepper as they prepared to land in a few minutes. The firebender sat back down next to Jinora.

"I should've said this earlier, but I'm glad you're alright, Master Jinora," he said, half-shouting to be heard past the driving snow.

Jinora didn't know this man's name, but she recognized him. He was normally stationed on Air Temple Island. Apart from his youth, he looked like any other White Lotus member in his uniform. He was young, especially for a White Lotus member, probably around eighteen or nineteen, much too old to be interested in her. But she could dream, right?

Jinora blushed a little and hoped the darkness and snow would hide it. "I'm fine, thank you," she said. "And you don't have to call me 'Master.' But what should I call you?" she trailed off, hoping he'd give her a name.

"Keo. Name's Keo."

"Well, Keo, thank you for—

Jinora was interrupted by Oogi's deep roar. Jinora looked behind her to see what was bothering the air-bison.

Tenzin was holding on to the edge of Oogi's saddle, about to fall off. The White Lotus captain, a metalbender, had a large dagger in his hand as he crawled toward him. _What are they doing?! _Tenzin twirled and floated himself back onto the saddle, and he and the captain began fighting on Oogi's back.

"Hey!" Jinora shouted. Keo and the two lieutenants stood up, but from here there wasn't much they could do. _Why is the captain trying to hurt Dad? _They were mere minutes from landing in the White Lotus compound.

"Keo, take the reins!" Jinora handed him the leather handle and leaped from the back of Pepper's saddle. She wished she'd been wearing her flight-suit, but she spun around in the air to create enough buoyancy to carry her to Oogi.

Jinora thrust a blast of wind at the captain just before landing. "Jinora, no!" Tenzin shouted, and she saw that he was clutching his stomach. His yellow tunic had been stained crimson. Oogi was much bigger than Pepper, but the saddle was still only ten feet long and about eight feet wide, which would make for some very close quarters fighting. Tenzin and Jinora stood near the back while the crazed captain crouched near Oogi's reins.

Jinora gasped when she looked at the captain. His veins were bulging in his neck, and his eyes were completely silver. He drew another long dagger from a sheath around his waist and brandished these at Jinora at Tenzin.

"You're outmatched, Captain," Tenzin yelled. "Please surrender, we're almost to the compound!"

The captain smirked. "I'm afraid your Captain isn't here right now," he yelled back. Jinora shivered: That wasn't the captain's normal voice. _What has happened to him?_

A stream of fire collided into the captain, and he dodged as a large icicle flew past him. Jinora could hear shouting coming from Pepper's saddle, and she could see Keo and the two lieutenants. Pepper was flying a good distance from Oogi: Air-bison are extraordinarily smart, and she could tell trouble was brewing on top of Oogi. Keo had hurled the fire at his captain, while another had thrown the ice-spear. Whatever had caused the captain's strange transformation had, thankfully, not affected his men. The White Lotus compound loomed underneath them.

Tenzin issued a quick gust of wind at the captain. The blast knocked him off his feet, and he landed just behind Oogi's large head. The air-bison grumbled with his deep bass roar and tried to shake the marauding captain off. Tenzin and Jinora advanced.

The possessed White Lotus captain looked up at them, the silver coating of his eyes making it hard to read his expression. With a quick motion, the captain plunged both of his daggers into Oogi's neck. The poor air-bison thundered with rage. Oogi shook from side to side, causing all three of his passengers to lose their footing. Jinora and Tenzin, light on their feet as ever, gripped the sides of the saddle as Oogi continued to buck in mid-air. The captain held tight as well. In a rage, Oogi descended rapidly toward the White Lotus compound under them, racing through the air like a furry meteorite.

They descended so fast that the snow around Jinora seemed to fall upwards. She felt her stomach lurch with the sudden change of direction, and she screamed for Oogi to stop. Instead, Oogi rotated like a drill, still trying to shake them all off. Jinora's eyes stung from the piercing snow, and with one last cry she let go off the saddle.

Jinora tumbled through air, but her instincts took over shortly. She extended her arms and legs in a spread-eagle position to increase the surface area of her body, and combined with her own airbending, was enough to slow her fall. She looked on in horror as Oogi—with her father and the captain still on board—sped toward the center of the White Lotus compound. Oogi was spinning like a top, but it wasn't enough to shake Tenzin or the captain, and the air-bison roared again. He landed hard, hard enough for Jinora to hear the thud of impact, and he bucked both men from his back before galloping away.

Jinora wasn't wearing her flight-suit, so her own landing was going to be hard no matter how much she tried. She angled her body and summoned an air-bubble underneath her, which was just enough to lessen her free-fall from deadly to dangerous, but not enough to insure a completely safe landing. She aimed for a large snowdrift and collided a moment later, the impact blinding her with snow and sending her tumbling across the ground. All the breath in her lungs was knocked clean out of her, and she was almost certain she'd broken one of her ankles. Jinora moaned into the snow her head was buried in.

She felt Pepper land softly a minute later. "Master Jinora!" Keo yelled, and she heard several sets of feet race toward her. Keo helped Jinora to her feet, and she yelped when she tried putting any weight on her left foot. Her ankle was definitely broken. Keo bent down a bit so she could wrap her arm around his shoulders.

"Rouse the others," Keo yelled to the two lieutenants. "I'll get Master Jinora to—arrgh!"

Jinora cried out again when the tip of a dagger protruded from Keo's chest. He let go of her to clutch his abdomen, and Jinora fell when her ankle buckled in pain. One of the White Lotus lieutenants thawed some nearby snow to use for bending while the other dragged Keo onto Katara's porch. The captain had recovered from his own free-fall, and Jinora looked up in time to see him holding his twin daggers, both of which were dripping with blood, both from Oogi and from Keo.

The second lieutenant, the waterbender, began shooting a multitude of ice shards at the captain as he approached. The captain stomped the ground, and a large wall of earth came to life to shield him from the icicles. The earthen wall parted in the middle into two large square boulders, and both sped toward the lieutenant at the captain's command. The lieutenant dodged one but not the other. Jinora heard a sickening thud as the wall of rock smashed into the lieutenant. The impact sent the man reeling, he slid across the snow-covered ground, and he didn't get back up. The third lieutenant returned, having laid Keo on the porch of Katara's house, and he sent jagged stones flying toward the captain. The two earthbenders dueled quickly amid the blizzard, each sending large stones at the other, but the outmatched lieutenant clearly didn't want to seriously injure his captain. The crazed White Lotus leader took advantage of this, as he sent his two daggers speeding through the air and into the man's chest. The earthbending lieutenant moaned as he fell to the ground.

"Dad…" Jinora yelled. She couldn't see where her father had gone. The cold was biting into her skin, her hands becoming numb from supporting herself on the snow. She couldn't stop shivering. The White Lotus captain approached Jinora, his head cocked to the side as if he didn't know who she was.

"Why are you doing this?!" Jinora yelled at him. She began to crawl toward Katara's cottage. She had made it to the steps before the captain stomped on her broken ankle.

The silver-eyed man turned her over and picked her up by the collar. Jinora clenched her teeth in pain, and tried to avoid his unnatural stare. "Asami Sato," the captain said. "Is she alive?"

_I hope she is. I hope she is, and I hope she gets away. _But in truth, Jinora didn't know if Asami was alive or not, or why the captain suddenly cared.

Jinora blinked away her tears and ignored his question. The captain shook her and held the edge of a dagger to her throat. He stuck his face so near to hers that she felt his warm breath on her cheeks. He gave her an evil smile. "Why don't we find out together, then?" he said. He dropped Jinora, who yelped again, and he metalbent his daggers around each of her wrists, levitating her in front of him as he walked toward the healing-room.

* * *

Katara couldn't keep this up for much longer. The transformed White Lotus guard, Darmin, was not as skilled a waterbender as she was, but he was young, capable, and suddenly bloodthirsty.

She had sensed the silver substance inside of him the moment he'd set foot in here. It was…fresher, at least more so than the drug that had been in Korra. Katara didn't know what was happening to the two girls, but Korra's Avatar State had just rejected all of the silver liquid, and Asami was not dead, so whatever Jinora had done in the Spirit World had worked. She only hoped that Tenzin would return soon.

Darmin's eyes were the most changed. They were covered in a silver sheen, as if they were nothing more than little silver orbs. The parasitic drug inside of him was responsible for this transformation, though _how _she didn't know. And then there was Tenora.

Darmin grunted with effort. "I've always admired you, you know," he said with what must be Tenora's smooth voice. It certainly wasn't Darmin speaking, anymore. "Waterbenders _everywhere _admire you. I've met skilled benders before, but it is a rare treat to meet a true Master like yourself. I only wish I were there in person."

Katara was locked in a waterbending tug-of-war with Darmin. She would stream water at him as she tried to freeze him in place, and he would melt the ice and throw it back at her, beginning the cycle anew.

"They'll stop you," Katara said, nodding at Korra and Asami. Both women were still standing in silence, eye aglow with white light. "Killing me won't accomplish anything."

Their duel went on for several long, tiring minutes, until finally Katara's aged frame couldn't take the stress any longer. Her arms fumbled, giving Darmin just enough of a window to send a jet of water into her chest. Katara lost her footing and fell hard, right next to the now-empty healing-pool, where Korra and Asami stood. Motionless as ever, they looked on as the possessed Darmin strolled up to Katara.

He lifted two jets of water and froze Katara's hands to the floor. "I don't _want _to kill you," Tenora said through Darmin. "Instead of ending your life right now, let's chat awhile, shall we?"

Silver-eyed Darmin crouched next to her and wiped his sweating brow. _Tenzin, Jinora, please hurry, _Katara thought.

Darmin-Tenora didn't speak for several minutes. He examined Katara with his silver-coated eyes, a cold and calculating stare that sent shivers down her spine. When he next spoke, he looked away from her.

"I assume you remember Amon and his misguided Equalist Movement?" Darmin said. He didn't wait for her to answer before continuing. "Yes, a brave and foolish radical, but he had a point: The people of this world _are _unequal. I sympathized with his ideals—in secret, of course, I was never an active member—but I also saw the flaw in his plan."

Now he looked down at Katara again. "Amon sought to rid the world of bending, thinking that _benders_ were the anomaly, and that _non-benders _should be the norm. But as a bender himself, which our dear Avatar eventually revealed, Amon forgot a fundamental aspect of human existence. Do you see the flaw that Amon didn't?"

Katara refused to speak, but she did see it. Darmin-Tenora smiled. "People _crave power_. Some will do anything to obtain it, and even more will do anything to keep it." Darmin stood, still looking down on Katara. "Amon foolishly expected to convince a world run by benders that _they _should give up their power in the name of equality. I say otherwise. I believe that _non-benders _are the anomalies. Everyone should be entitled to the power that bending provides."

He began to pace around the glowing women, who still hadn't moved. Katara had seen Korra's eyes glow like this before, but it was Asami's glowing orbs that worried her. They shined exactly like Korra's.

"And why stop with one element?" Darmin spread his arms, as if he were addressing the entire world with this speech. Then he pointed a sharp finger at Korra. "Why should only the Avatar bend all four? Even if every single person could bend, _the Avatar _would still have the most power. There cannot be true equality while the Avatar still lives, unless…"

He turned to look at Katara again. This time she felt compelled to speak, if only to buy more time. "Unless what?" she said.

Darmin smiled again, a wholly evil smile that did not belong to the real Darmin. "Unless everyone could bend all four elements." He shook his head at Katara's bewildered look. "Do not misjudge. I believe such a thing is possible. For _everyone_ to have power like the Avatar's is my dream. A dream that Miss Asami Sato stands in the way of."

He turned to face the glowing women, and now Darmin's smug Tenora-expression faltered for a moment. Then he smirked again.

"How?" Katara said quickly to distract him. "How would you bestow such bending on everyone? And how is Asami in your way?"

"With a device called the Sanguinary Construct," he said. "And Miss Sato," Darmin continued, looking away from Korra and Asami, "knows where that device is, and is keeping its location a secret." He glanced back down at Katara, flashing her another evil smirk. "Have I piqued your interest, Master Katara?"

"So you don't mean to wreak wide-scale havoc," Katara said, glad that Tenora was listening to her instead of looking at Korra and Asami. "Even though you already have."

Darmin frowned. "If this damn Sato girl had cooperated, there would have been no loss of life! My goal isn't to become the leader of some revived Equalist Movement. I simply wish to give the gift of bending to the world."

"Then why not go public with this message?" Katara asked. "If you think you can truly grant a person control of all four elements, then why hide, why sow discord with such subterfuge?"

"It doesn't work like that," Darmin said. "For the Sanguinary Construct to function, I need Miss Sato. I need her blood."

_Blood? _The thought awakened a part of Katara that had long been dormant. Many years ago, she was instrumental in the decision that made bloodbending illegal. That was how Tenora was controlling this poor man, how he had controlled those Metal Clan people in Korra's story. The silver drug somehow aided his bloodbending and made it possible to do remotely. If this chemical enhanced a person's bloodbending, then perhaps…

Darmin walked across the healing-room to a nearby shelf. Katara kept various medicines and what few herbs that could survive the frigid climate in here. Darmin selected a vial of some green medicine and unstoppered it, pouring the contents onto the floor. He strolled back to Asami with the empty vial in hand. In his other, he held a wickedly sharp piece of ice.

Katara steadied her breathing. It was well within her ability to break free from the ice that held her, but she had to wait for the right moment. It wouldn't do any good to get herself cut down as soon as she got loose.

Darmin lifted the shard of ice up to Asami's exposed and unprotected neck. But before he did anything else, he halted. He lifted his head up, like a polar-bear-dog listening for prey. Then Katara heard it, too. An air-bison roared outside, followed by several dull crashing sounds. _Hurry Tenzin! _

Darmin-Tenora's wicked smile grew even larger. "You hear that, old Master?" Katara remained silent. "Ha! That's not the sound of _your _rescue, but of _mine_."

He lifted the sharp ice back up to Asami's glowing neck. Katara prepared to shatter the ice and make a last stand, but the girls beat her to it.

Asami's free hand shot out like lightning. She wrapped her fingers around Darmin's throat and pulled him close. She had done this without once looking at him, but now she swiveled her head around to face him, eyes still glowing like Korra's. She was still clasping Korra's hand with her other.

"_She is under my protection now,_" Asami said. Her voice still retained most of her original tone, but it now had another layer to it, an undercurrent of power that rose the hairs on Katara's neck. "_You will not harm her_."

Darmin issued a wet gurgling noise before Asami sent him flying across the destroyed healing-room. Asami briefly glanced at Korra, who had remained passive as ever. But now Korra turned her own head to look back at Asami, and they studied each other for a moment. Still hand in hand and their eyes still glowing in unison, they stepped out of the empty healing-pool. Korra looked down at Katara, waved one hand to melt the ice, and spoke.

"_There is another like him coming_," she said to Katara, the same layer of power coating Korra's voice. The radiant girls looked back at Darmin and approached him.

He had slammed into the wall and was now standing back up, horror and hatred painted on his face. His mouth jawed up and down like a nutcracker's, but no words came out. He could only watch as Korra and Asami advanced.

In desperation, Darmin thrust a jet of nearby water at them, but Asami deflected it with her own spurt of flame. _Did Asami just firebend?! _Katara was sure her old eyes had momentarily failed, until Asami threw another trail of fire at Darmin to stagger him. Korra froze Darmin's feet in place and leaped forward, closing the gap between them in a flash. She tilted his head back with one hand, Darmin powerless to stop her, and she placed her other hand just above his open mouth.

Darmin began to choke, Katara could see his throat and chest heave with pain. A moment later, Korra yanked out a large amount of the silvery drug, letting it splash onto the floor as Darmin collapsed. He was unconscious, but Katara saw the silver sheen fade from his eyes.

The sliding doors of the healing-room splintered as they were forced to open from outside. Snow and wind pierced the stillness of the room, and the White Lotus captain, looking just like the transformed Darmin, entered with Jinora, hands bound in metal, levitating next to him.

"Jinora!" Katara said.

Jinora grunted in agony. "Gran-Gran…run!"

The possessed captain looked as if he was going to speak, but Asami moved first. She closed the gap and crouched, spun to the left and extended her leg to perform a quick leg-sweep. While the captain fell to the floor, Korra extended one hand to release Jinora's metal bonds. The young airbender yelped as she fell, but she rolled away from the captain. Asami picked up the captain by his throat and walked him over to Korra. The Water Tribe girl lost no time, and just as she'd done with Darmin, she waterbended the silver toxin right out of the captain's mouth. Both the drug and the man were dropped to the floor in a heap.

Katara couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed. To add to her confusion and wonder, the two girls came to help Katara to a sitting position. Korra and Asami, both still in their Avatar State—which Katara was struggling to understand—sat in front of her and faced each other.

Korra turned to speak to Katara. "_They won't understand, at first,_" she said. "_I myself do not know the full consequences of this split."_

Now Asami spoke, though she was still watching Korra. "_But they will live, and in time, we will discover the effects of this new division." _

Korra and Asami closed their eyes, and for a brief instant, fear gripped Katara's heart. But it wasn't necessary: Korra reopened her eyes the next moment, only they weren't glowing anymore. They also weren't her normal deep blue, instead shining a vibrant purple shade.

Asami opened her eyes next. Hers, too, had changed colors, from green to gold.

Korra quickly reached up to cup Asami's face, panic evident in her expression. "Asami."

Asami offered a weak smile, and she held Korra's wrists. "Korra."


	26. Chapter 25: Preparation (Part 1)

CHAPTER XXV: PREPARATION

PART I

Time forgot how to function for Korra. Everything around her in the healing-room seemed to speed up, but inside her mind, she relived the past few hours in agonizing, slow detail.

She saw herself floating invisibly behind Jinora as the young girl searched the Spirit World for Asami. She saw once more Jinora's encounter with Giji and Rinsho, and the horrid blood-soaked Asami. Then came Korra's brief relapse back into the physical world, as she sat in the healing-pool with the real, lifeless Asami, thinking the world might as well end if Asami died.

While all of that was surely important, Korra didn't waste any more time thinking about it. Asami was _alive_, and that was all that mattered.

_Her eyes,_ Korra thought as she cupped Asami's face. "Asami, your eyes…"

"Yours too," Asami said. "Violet…"

"Gold," Korra replied. She leaned forward to pull Asami into a tight hug. _What exactly just happened to us? _Asami's bare back felt oddly warm, and Korra reveled in the feel of their skin touching. Their earlier sensory connection did not flare to life: It must have been just another detail imagined during Korra's two-week coma. If she wasn't so glad that Asami was alive, Korra would have wondered just how much of her submarine trip had been imagined. But again, that wasn't what Korra wanted to think about.

Korra was only passingly aware that another White Lotus member, who was supporting a very injured Tenzin, had entered the room. Jinora also needed help standing, and this same guard had placed her on the only stone bench still standing in the healing-room. Tenzin, Jinora, Katara, and the White Lotus man were conversing near the shattered exit door while Korra and Asami sat opposite them, close to the undamaged sliding doors that led into Katara's home.

"Korra?" Tenzin said. Korra and Asami parted, but didn't get up.

When Korra and Asami both looked at him, Tenzin's face went back and forth between panicked and confused. Their new eye colors had unsettled him. He shot his mother a worried glance. Katara hadn't said much for a while, as she had also been studying the two of them in silence.

Tenzin hobbled over to them, Katara at his elbow. The two elders placed heavy blankets around Korra and Asami, as they were both still in their underwear. "Korra, I…" Tenzin began. He choked up for a moment, a silence that was just long enough to convey his grief and pain. The airbending master was heavily injured. Bruises had begun to cover his face and neck, and he was holding a large crimson-stained towel to his stomach. He rushed his next words as he struggled to keep his composure.

"This is all my fault, I never should have brought those men, I—

"Tenzin." Katara shushed her son. "Don't say that, don't even think it." Tenzin was about to continue, but Katara interrupted him again. "Tenzin, please." Katara waved for the White Lotus man to come over.

"Yes, Master Katara?" he said a little sheepishly. He kept glancing at his two unconscious comrades, Darmin and the captain, as they lay in heaps where Korra and Asami had left them. He was no doubt highly embarrassed about their apparent mutiny. After all, it was the White Lotus's duty to protect the Avatar, not attack her, though Katara had already made it clear that Darmin and the captain were to be regarded as innocent, for now.

"Would you please help Korra and Asami to their room, the empty one with double beds?" Katara asked the guard.

"Of course, ma'am."

"Mother," Tenzin chimed in, "they need rest, and healing, and—

"Yes, they do," Katara said. "But look at yourself, Tenzin, and your daughter. You're both hurt. And I think these two will be fine for tonight," she added with a smile to Korra and Asami.

Korra half-heartedly returned Katara's smile. The White Lotus member bowed to the Water Tribe elder and offered to help Asami to her feet. He gently hoisted her up by her armpits, and after a brief sway she was fine. He held his hand out to Korra next, but she refused it.

Asami saw her refusal. "Korra, you don't have to—

"But I can," Korra said. She steadied her breathing to prepare herself. She knew that she had stood, walked, _and _bended mere minutes ago, but that had been during…something else entirely.

Korra first lifted herself up with her hands to pull her legs beneath her, and she sat on them for a moment. No stinging or numbing pain surfaced in her limbs. A nearby pool of bubbling silver fluid reminded her of all her earlier agony, the months upon months of no physical progress, of the inevitable shame that always accompanied such a crippling handicap. But most of all, she remembered the weak smiles everyone used to give her. That look of pity had been the worst thing for Korra.

_Well, no more_, she thought. _I don't know what's happened to me, but I know I can stand._

A short grunt of effort later and Korra was on her feet. She was Queen of the World for a moment, as everyone's eyes widened at her apparent physical recovery. Tenzin seemed especially astounded, his jaw nearly falling to the floor in amazement, but he corrected himself soon after. Even Katara, who had seen her fill of astonishing things today, was stunned.

Korra wanted to run. She beamed at Asami, who didn't return the gesture right away, though Korra didn't notice. She was _standing_, and she continued to do so for several moments while everyone watched. She took a hesitant step forward—her left leg wobbling slightly from atrophy—then another and another, until she practically fell into Asami's arms.

"I can walk," Korra half-whispered, half-cried into her ear. She looped her arms tightly around Asami as she let herself cry. "I can walk, Asami. I can…can walk now…I—

What she didn't say was how glad she was that Asami was alive. The full actuality of it had finally set in for Korra as she felt Asami's warm lily skin against her own.

Asami didn't say anything, but through her own crying Korra heard her sniffle.

Time started behaving funny again in Korra's mind. The outside world slowed down to a crawl as Korra cried on Asami's shoulder. _I don't know how much more of this I can take_, she thought as more tears rolled off her cheeks. Korra had been in her fair share of dangerous situations before, but none had affected her so emotionally. Her crippled status after Zaheer's attack (from which she was still recovering) came close to how she felt right now, but that hadn't nearly killed Asami. _What would I have done if Jinora didn't succeed?_

By now Korra's eyes were so full of tears that she couldn't see, and in her blindness she slid to her knees at Asami's feet.

"Korra!" Asami gasped. She crouched to keep Korra upright and held her by the shoulders.

"I'm fine," Korra said, still crying. She forced out a small laugh, as if she nearly faintedevery day and this was some joke, but it sounded like a choking cough. "I guess my legs still need some work," she said through a grimace.

Asami frowned, and the worry on her brow made Korra feel oddly safe. Asami looked at Katara. "Maybe she should stay here tonight."

"No!" Korra said. She had said it a little louder than she'd meant to, and it startled most everyone in the destroyed healing-room. "I mean, I want to be with you. I'll be fine **'**til morning."

Tenzin cleared his throat. "Well," he said. "I believe that's more than enough excitement for tonight." He came over to Korra and placed one arm around her shoulders, and Asami did the same. Together, the three of them stood and made their way to the open sliding doors that would lead back into Katara's home. Korra was grateful for the help, though she had wanted to try walking unaided.

The White Lotus guard tried to take over for Tenzin. "Please, sir, allow me. You're hurt."

Tenzin waved him aside. "Forgive me," he said, "but after tonight, no one but my family and I will be allowed to see, touch, or speak to these two. We have much to discuss in the morning."

He hadn't yelled at the White Lotus man, but somehow that made it even scarier. Korra had heard Tenzin raise his voice before, but never had she heard him talk with such a threatening tone. It rose the tiny hairs on her neck to hear him speak like that.

Thankfully, the guard understood. He took several steps away from them and bowed as Tenzin and Asami walked Korra out of the healing-room.

* * *

_I don't remember Katara's house being so big, _Korra thought when they finally made it to their room. In truth, it wasn't a very large home at all, but Korra was already sweating from the short walk. She felt guilty that Tenzin had felt obliged to help them, and Korra had not failed to notice the large crimson stain on his tunic. Tenzin had grunted several times during their short indoor trek.

"Here we are," Tenzin said. He thrust open the door to reveal the room. It was the same room she had awoken in the other night, double-beds and all. A small porcelain lamp sat on the bedside table between the two beds, right underneath the room's single window, outside of which the snowstorm still raged.

"Thank you, Tenzin," Korra said. She let go of his shoulder and put some of her weight on Asami, who seemed capable enough to handle it. In truth, Korra reckoned that she could walk by herself now that she'd gotten a little practice in. _Better safe than sorry_, she thought, though any excuse to hold Asami closer was good enough for Korra.

Korra looked down at Tenzin's wound, then back up at him. "We'll handle it from here," she said. He nodded and wheezed his agreement, then turned to make his way back to the wrecked healing-room.

Asami easily supported Korra's weight as they trudged toward the closest bed. Rays of moonlight spilled into the room from the sole window between the beds, the moon's dim glow scattered by the snowstorm outside. The _whoosh _of wind-whipped snow, Korra's heartbeat, and Asami's ragged breathing were the only sounds.

When they reached the foot of the bed, Korra let go of Asami and flopped face-up onto the mattress. Asami sat next to her, though she preferred to sit up for now, probably because of her still-injured abdomen. She still hadn't said anything to Korra.

The silence between them unsettled Korra, so she laced her fingers through the ends of Asami's hair, idly twisting the silken strands. She had almost dozed off when she heard Asami sniffle.

Korra stopped playing with Asami's hair and propped herself up on her elbows. "Asami, what's wrong?"

The raven-haired heiress didn't speak, but Korra could see she was shaking. Korra put a gentle arm around her shoulders, just in time for Asami to utterly lose it.

Asami sobbed like Korra had never seen her do before. She pressed her wet face into Korra's bare neck and continued crying, as Korra tried her best to soothe her. If either of them had been wearing shirts, they would have been thoroughly dampened with tears, and Asami kept on like this for several minutes.

Korra didn't speak for a long while. Finally, after Asami seemed to be mostly cried-out, she tried to talk, though she didn't know what to say. Korra wasn't very good at this sort of thing, but she knew she'd do anything to calm Asami down.

"We're gonna be alright," Korra whispered to her.

Unfortunately, Asami didn't seem to think so.

She jerked her head away from Korra's shoulder to look at her. "How can you say that?" Asami said, past her own choking sobs. Asami's new golden eyes shone like a cat's in the darkness, and for a moment it was hard for Korra to hold her gaze. _I miss her bright emeralds._

Asami broke away from Korra's arms and stood up quickly.

"What do you mean?" Korra said. "I was just—

"We're _fucked_, Korra, in case you haven't noticed," Asami said. She gestured all around the room as tears continued rolling down her face. "Look at us, I mean…Air Temple Island, the submarine, now here? I can't do this anymore!" She paced back and forth between the two beds and kept crying, all while Korra watched in confusion. Asami punched the decorative desk lamp off the bedside table, tiny pieces of porcelain and glass littered the floor as she continued to pace and curse. "I want _out_, I don'twant to do this anymore, I can't! Dammit, I want to go back to the City, sooner or later he's gonna—

"Asami!" Korra took hold of one of Asami's wrists to stop her. In her mind's eye, Korra saw once more the blood-covered and crazed Asami from the Spirit World. "Please calm down, you just need to rest—

"No! You don't get it, Korra, you're not listening!" Asami shouted.

"Then tell me! Tell me what's wrong!" Korra shouted back. She felt her temper rise, something that had hardly ever happened when she talked with Asami. Korra held tight to Asami's wrist and made an effort to lower her voice when she next spoke. "Listen to me, Asami. We're _safe _now. Yeah, some really weird shit has been happening, but—

"We just narrowly escaped another attack, Korra!" Asami shot Korra an angry gilded glance. "Even _here_, at the bottom of the world, Tenora found us. He found _me_, and I don't…I don't…"

"You don't what?" Korra asked, still a little heated, but she controlled her temper. "_Please_ talk to me, Asami."

Asami's lips quivered with unspoken feelings. Korra gently took both of her hands and looked up into her golden eyes, and she pulled Asami closer to her. Asami let herself be pulled back down onto the edge of the bed, and she finally collapsed against Korra and sobbed.

Asami mumbled something into Korra's bare shoulder, and knowing it hadn't been intelligible, she turned so that she could be heard. "I don't want to die _again_," she whispered past her tears.

All the hairs on Korra's arms and neck stood straight up at Asami's confession.

_Now I really don't know what to say. _Korra was at a loss, so she just held Asami in silence, hoping that she would eventually cry herself to sleep. _Why aren't I good at this? I love Asami, but I don't know how to show it, not now. How do I show her we're safe?_

Asami clutched one of Korra's hands and squeezed. Korra crooked her neck to look into Asami's new golden orbs. Asami looked back at her, her eyes shining much brighter than should have been possible.

Korra returned Asami's hand squeeze and let a silent moment pass between them. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you, Asami," she said after a while. The worry in Asami's eyes didn't go away, so Korra added, "Well, I won't let anything _else _happen."

It was a terrible joke to make, but it worked. Asami stopped sniffling for a moment as she heaved a short dry laugh, then laid her head back onto Korra's shoulder, and Korra began stroking her hair.

She noticed that Asami's breathing was stable, as stable as it had been since her ribs first broke, so she risked a glance down to Asami's abdomen. Most of the bruising had vanished and left only a few splotches of dull yellow where the breaks had been the worst. _It feels like Asami's ribs have been broken forever, but that attack was only a few weeks ago. So much has happened…_

"Korra," Asami said, breaking the silence again. "In the Spirit World…did you see them?"

Korra didn't have to ask who she meant. She sighed and continued stroking Asami's shoulder. "Yes, I did."

"Oh, Korra, I never thought—I never wanted you to know about them, they—

"Asami, listen to me." Korra adjusted her head to look at her. "I saw them, and I heard what they said, but…" _Dammit, how do I say this? _Looking into Asami's brilliant golden eyes gave her the answer. _Tell her the truth, that's all I can do. _Korra cupped Asami's neck with gentle hands, and continued. "But that doesn't matter. _They _shouldn't matter to you. I know I haven't had the same…struggles as you, but I know _you_, and I know you're the most wonderful person I've ever met, and I know those two didn't deserve you."

Asami gave her a weak tear-stained smile. "Korra…"

"I love you, Asami," Korra said, savoring the feel of those words on her tongue. "I always will."

Korra bent her head to connect their lips for the first time in what felt like ages.

They parted just long enough for Asami to speak. "I love you, too, Korra." Asami reconnected her lips to Korra's.

Korra closed her eyes and breathed through her nose, her mouth being too preoccupied with desire. She didn't want to seem overly lustful, but in truth she was. Her passion for Asami flamed into her stomach, and lower, as she pressed her lips against hers more firmly than she remembered doing before. Asami eased into the embrace, her arms gradually making their way up to loop around Korra's neck, and they both fell, connected, onto the bed.

A few minutes of kissing later, Korra gasped when she felt Asami's soft hands glide over her back. Without missing a beat, Asami undid Korra's bra, and the limp fabric fell from her shoulders onto Asami's own chest. She tossed it aside, and Korra renewed the vigor in her kissing. She was on top of Asami, straddling her left leg, and Korra reached underneath her to take loose the bra that covered Asami's lily-white bust.

With those articles of clothing gone, Korra leaned in to press herself even closer against Asami. Asami's breasts felt warm against her own, much warmer than Korra would have guessed. _Asami, Asami, I love you._

* * *

"Master Tenzin, this is our home, you cannot just—

Tenzin raised a hand to silence the White Lotus guard. "I'm afraid this isn't a suggestion, but an order. Lieutenant Darmin and your captain will remain here for further questioning, but you and everyone else are to vacate this compound until further notice."

Several other White Lotus guards voiced their opinions, some in grumbles, but others in aggravated shouts. It was a little before noon the next morning, and Tenzin had called a meeting with the remaining White Lotus members in their barracks. Needless to say, they were not happy about being ordered to leave.

One of the men shoved his comrades aside to face Tenzin. He was much shorter than Tenzin, but he pointed up at the Air Master's chest. "If I were you, I'd hand our captain over. You can't keep him against his will, and we don't take orders directly from you!"

"And if _I _were _you,_" Tenzin countered, swatting the man's hand away, "I'd be embarrassed of how foolish I just made myself look." Some other White Lotus members pulled the shorter man back into their ranks, and Tenzin continued speaking after taking a deep breath.

"Please try to understand my position. Two of your own members died last night." Tenzin surveyed the crowd before him. The majority were men, but there were a few women present, though gender didn't matter. At the mention of losing two of their own, every White Lotus member fell silent. Tenzin wished he had known the names of those two lieutenants. "Darmin and your captain are most likely innocent, but they may still know something that can help us. Until then, we cannot run the risk of another attack. One or more of you may have been dosed with Tenora's drug, as were your captain and Lieutenant Darmin. This decision is for your safety, as well."

Again, more silence as those gathered thought about that possibility. Any of them could be one of Tenora's pawns, and they wouldn't even know. Tenzin was about to leave when a young female guard spoke up. "But where are we to go, Master Tenzin?"

"I've already made arrangements with the Council," Tenzin said. "They've cleared a hotel in Harbor City for you to use until this matter with Tenora is resolved."

Tenzin drew his hood and opened the barracks door. He was greeted by the still-raging snowstorm as he headed for Katara's cottage.

* * *

"Well, Katara," Korra asked. "What do you think?"

Five days later, Asami sat across from Korra in their new makeshift healing-pool. Katara's healing-room had been thoroughly destroyed—both by Tenora's puppets and whatever had happened to Korra and Asami—so Katara had set up a rudimentary pool in the White Lotus's barracks. With all the bunks pushed aside, there was more than enough room for a healing-pool and two beds, and this building had its own kitchen, as well. With Tenzin's help, they'd also set up several floor-mats in one corner of the now-empty barracks to serve as a physical training area.

For the two of them, the past few days had consisted of healing, eating, and stretching as they recovered from all that had happened. They hadn't had much time to talk together, or be alone together for very long, though both Asami and Korra had already seen great progress in their recovery.

Asami was trying to not doze off under Katara's soothing power, but Korra was wide awake. She watched Katara as the old woman pushed and pulled the tide of healing-water over them both, her old wrinkled eyes shut in concentration. Korra had been demanding answers since the morning after the attack, but Katara had brushed them aside, until now. The old Water Tribe woman had called them into here after lunch. She had said she was ready to talk.

Asami knew what Korra was thinking. She wanted to know why she still couldn't bend, even though her body had all but completely recovered. _Who can blame her, after what I said in the Spirit World? 'As long as I'm alive, Korra will never bend again.' But she did bend during the attack…_

Asami looked at her own hands, which looked white under the surface of the glowing healing-water. _I firebended that night, too. Didn't I? _Asami had always dreamt about being able to bend like Korra, but now that she actually had, the thought almost terrified her. She had been in several fights alongside Korra, Mako, Bolin, and others, and Asami normally felt proud that she was able to go toe-to-toe with benders without being able to bend herself. _It doesn't make any sense. I am not a bender. I'm not._

Korra opened her mouth to speak again, but Katara cut her off. The old woman was standing over them as she swayed in time with her healing-water. When she ceased her waterbending, she sighed as the water's faint blue glow subsided. "I think I need some tea. I'll get us some while you two get dressed," Katara said. With the aid of an ivory cane, she hobbled into the barracks kitchen, and Asami heard the clang of the metal teapot and the _tick-tick-whoosh_ of the stove burner.

Korra flashed Asami a worried glance. _I still can't get over her eyes…or mine. _'Bright' didn't even come close to describing Korra's new violet eyes. They had both discovered that their new eye colors literally shone in the darkness, like purple and gold candles. _Add that to the list of things that don't make any sense. _Asami mirrored Korra's worry, though she smiled to soften it.

Korra sighed and stood up in the pool. She tiptoed over to a nearby bench, where some clean clothes and a towel awaited her. Asami admired every step Korra took. They were both clad in only their underwear, so Asami was treated to an unobstructed view of Korra's toned legs and backside. The side-to-side motion of her hips drove Asami wild, and for a moment she thought about telling Katara to leave them alone for an hour or two. The water made Korra's caramel skin glisten, but aside from Korra's physical beauty, Asami watched her legs for any signs of weakness. She didn't find any.

_It's been only five days, and she's walking again. _

Asami got out of the pool as well, and Korra tossed her a towel. There was a mirror set up next to their beds along one wall, so Asami went to stand in front of it while she dried herself and dressed. In the mirror, she saw Korra peel off her wet underwear, starting with her damp bra. Her heart thumped as Korra discarded the wet piece of clothing before pulling down her soaked panties, her back to Asami. If Korra's rear was attractive _with_ underwear, then it was nearly irresistible without it. Korra replaced both wet undergarments with clean and dry ones before she noticed that Asami had been watching her.

The worry in Korra's eyes vanished. She glanced toward the kitchen to see if Katara was still there, and seeing that she was, Korra mouthed the word "later" to Asami, and topped it off with a coy smile. _Whoa._

For several moments, Asami forgot what she was supposed to be doing. She found that her heart was no longer gently thumping, but was instead trying to force its way out of her body, it was beating so hard, which would explain the heat she felt in her cheeks. She hurriedly finished drying herself off and replaced her own wet underwear before slipping into some loose-fitting Water Tribe clothes.

"Here we are," she heard Katara say. Katara had come back from the kitchen carrying a tray with a teapot and three cups. She set the tray on the only table left in the barracks, a small round one with a dark wood finish. Katara pulled a chair over for herself and began pouring tea into the cups. Asami and Korra joined her, each dragging their own chairs to the table.

As they took their seats, Katara sipped her steaming tea. She was sitting across from them, and she watched the two of them for several silent moments before speaking.

Finally, Katara leaned forward and set her cup down. "I know I've been quiet about this whole thing, girls," she said. "And I apologize for that. I can't even imagine what you've been through—what you must still be going through—but you two deserve to know everything I do."

Korra took another sip of tea and set her cup down as well. Asami had yet to drink any of hers, but she gripped Korra's hand for reassurance. Korra kept her eyes on Katara, but she squeezed Asami's hand to let her know she got the message.

"What about my bending?" Korra asked. "My connection to the elements, has it been…you know…" She didn't finish that sentence.

Katara adjusted herself on her stool with a slight frown, which she soon corrected into a warm smile. "Right to the point, as always, so I'll do the same. No, your connection to the elements has not been severed, but it has been…altered."

Korra squeezed Asami's hand even tighter. "Altered? What do you mean? Will I ever bend again or won't I?"

"These are questions that cannot be easily answered, Korra," Katara said calmly. She picked up her teacup but didn't drink from it yet. "You _do _have a connection to the elements, but, as far as I can tell, not to _all _of them." Here Katara took a long pause, and only continued after taking another sip of her tea. She directed her gaze at Asami. "The same can be said for you, Asami."

_I knew it. _"So I'm a bender now." Asami felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her, although it wasn't a complete surprise.

"Yes, I believe so," Katara answered. Asami's eyes were so bright she could see them reflecting off Katara's weathered blue orbs. "When Korra gave you a part of her Avatar spirit, it must have—

"Half," Asami said. Katara raised her eyebrows, and Asami blushed a little for interrupting her. "Sorry. I just meant, she gave me half of it. Half of her Avatar spirit."

Korra looked at her, but Katara began to nod her head slowly. "Yes, that makes sense." She looked at both of them and set her teacup back down. "Well, we know what we must do, then, don't we?"

Both Asami and Korra frowned. "What?" they both asked.

Katara smiled. "We have to test this. Tomorrow, your training begins."


	27. Chapter 26: Preparation (Part 2)

CHAPTER XXVI: PREPARATION

PART II

_\- Republic City, three days before the first attack on Air Temple Island, nighttime-_

A man and his wife, each no more than forty years of age, strolled as casually as they could into the Spirit Vine Winery. _Their_ winery. Most of the forty-three-story building was devoted to producing said wine and other various offices, but the top two floors contained one of the City's most exclusive nightclubs, Epicenter. Raoul and his wife, Naomi, owned this tower and every business in it, so the bouncers merely nodded as the two of them walked into the dark, pulsating club. Being a part of Republic City's one percent has its advantages.

"Oh my," Naomi said to her husband as they entered. "Perhaps we should have stayed at home. There's quite a crowd tonight."

_There's always a crowd, _Raoul thought. _And you always say that._ "Nonsense, dear, they won't trouble us a bit, you know that."

Naomi hummed her disagreement, but she allowed herself to be walked into a private booth. She was much too dignified to pout.

Raoul was a tall and slender man, and Naomi was petite. He was of Fire Nation descent—though he was not a bender—and his wife had family living in the Northern Water Tribe. Raoul was usually the smartest man in the room, and made damn sure that everyone else knew it; Naomi hid her cunning behind a pair of tits and a tight body, like a concealed knife right before it pierced your ribcage. He had oily black hair; Naomi was a curly, luscious blonde. Raoul himself got a kick out of details like these: he and his wife were complete opposites in nearly every respect. He supposed he _did _love her, at least more than he'd loved anyone before her. They'd been married for three years now, which, given his track record, was very impressive.

They hadn't been seated for ten seconds before a waiter appeared at Naomi's shoulder. Raoul recognized the young man. _Damn, what was his name again? Yiro? Mino? _It bothered him that he couldn't remember his name. He liked knowing the names of his employees, not because he cared about them, but because it made them _think _he did.

"Oh, I had hoped you'd be working tonight, Yeemo," Naomi said to the waiter as she flashed her award-winning smile. _Yeemo, that's right. Yeemo, Yeemo, Yeemo. Always so polite. A good kid. _Naomi was particularly adept at remembering the names of the young male waiters. It gave them something to dream about, and thus a reason to return to work the next morning.

Yeemo the waiter gave them a short bow. "You're too kind, madam. Will you two be having your usual?"

Raoul's "usual" here was called the Lavabender. It was Volcano firewater mixed with Ba Sing Se's Finest whiskey, with a dash of seltzer and a lime garnish. And he usually took five of them.

Naomi preferred her drinks sweeter. She was partial to a drink called the Spirit Blitz, a house specialty consisting of coconut rum, vanilla bean extract, and a large helping of cherry syrup.

"Yes," they both said to Yeemo, and he bowed again before disappearing behind the bar. Before he left, though, Raoul had followed Yeemo's wandering eyes to his wife's low-cut dress. Naomi was busty, and in her elegant and bejeweled black dress it was hard to _not _notice, but it still soured Raoul's mood. _A serviceperson should be better able to control himself. _He would have to have a word with young Yeemo…after a few Lavabenders.

Raoul and Naomi waited for their drinks in relative silence. The club was roughly oval-shaped and somewhat like an amphitheater. The dancefloor was in the center of the oval and on a lower level than the outer two rims, where the bar and booths were. Naomi and Raoul were seated on the highest outer circle, which gave them a good view of the rest of the club, but was also within shouting distance of the barkeeper, a fact Raoul would use later tonight when he couldn't stand.

The club shook all around them. Dancers in various degrees of drunkenness gyrated on the dancefloor to the music, which really was nothing more than a steady drum beat. The lights were low, but the real illumination came from the tables. Each booth had a lamp on the table, a soft green light that couldn't hurt your eyes, no matter how drunk one became.

"Your drinks, sir and madam."

Yeemo startled Raoul. He had been making mental notes about all the women in the club, and he'd come to the conclusion that he had brought the most attractive one with him. He was positive that everyone else knew it, too.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Yeemo." Raoul fished around for his wallet as Yeemo set the platter of beverages down. This was his tower, but Raoul had always insisted that he be allowed to pay for his drinks. It was another of his favorite business ploys. It made people think he was down-to-earth and ordinary, and, once again, it made his workers unconsciously work harder. But the young waiter held up a hand to stop him.

"No need, sir. The bill's been taken care of."

_What? _"Now, now," Raoul said. "We've been over this."

Naomi giggled, and Raoul saw Yeemo stare at her cleavage again. Naomi subtly angled her chest at him, as if _inviting _him to look, which he did. She made eye contact with the young man, and he blushed.

"Um," Yeemo mumbled, "um, uh…I know. I know, _sir_, I mean." He turned and pointed at a distant patron seated at the bar, alone. "That gentleman paid for your drinks." Yeemo left before Naomi could embarrass him further. She watched him go with hungry eyes, but Raoul didn't notice. He was too busy inspecting their new drink-buyer.

"Huh," Raoul said. He certainly didn't know the man, but he soon would. The mystery man waved from his seat, and Raoul felt obliged to wave back. _What's he playing at?_

"Oh, isn't that so kind of him!" Naomi said, and added another bosom-shaking laugh. "Should we invite him to sit with us? He looks so lonely."

"No," Raoul said, "I don't think that's a good—

As if the man had heard Naomi, he stood from his barstool and began to walk in their direction. "Shit," Raoul whispered. He took a quick sip of one of his Lavabenders. He immediately felt better after gulping down the fiery alcohol. _Time to see what this new guy wants._

"Greetings, friends," the man yelled over the music when he got closer. He seemed slightly younger than Raoul, late-twenties or early-thirties, though the hair stemming from his temples was prematurely grey. He wore a simple black jacket-and-slacks combo with a red tie, much too simple for this place, so Raoul figured he hadn't planned on staying very long. Piercing orange eyes marked him as a possible firebender.

Raoul and Naomi both got up from the booth. "Raoul Li. Thanks for the drinks," Raoul said as he shook the man's hand.

"Name's Kenshi," the man replied. He looked to Naomi next, and kissed the top of her hand. "Am I correct in thinking you're the Mrs. Li?"

Naomi giggled and tipped her chin down a little. "Oh my, you _are _a gentleman!" She pivoted her chest in his direction, but he promptly returned his gaze back to Raoul. _Smart man._

Raoul gestured at the booth. "Would you like to join us?" But Raoul didn't immediately sit down: If this man was up to no good, he wanted to sit on the outside of the booth, and make Kenshi sit on the inside.

Raoul must have looked mad, because Kenshi put on his best apologetic face. "I'm so sorry to intrude on your evening, truly, I am," he said.

Naomi laughed and took his hand. "Nonsense! You just bought our drinks, you simply _must _stay for a little while!" She pulled him down into her side of the booth, to which he mirrored her laugh and winning smile. The flirty blonde snuggled close to Kenshi and offered him a Spirit Blitz, which he kindly refused.

_Don't lay it on too thick, Naomi, _Raoul thought. He resumed his place opposite his wife and Kenshi, and never took his eyes off the newcomer, even when he sipped on a Lavabender.

"So," Raoul said after a minute. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Naomi was trying to playfully force-feed one of her mixed drinks to Kenshi, but he kept refusing as politely as he could. _He's very smart, _Raoul thought. _Not many can resist Naomi's charm. _

Kenshi grimaced. "I'm afraid I'm here on business, not pleasure." Naomi visibly stiffened, another one of her little tricks to get all eyes on her, but it didn't work on Kenshi.

"I see," Raoul said. He tilted the last mouthful of his first drink down his throat. It burned all the way into his stomach, but it sharpened his eye for detail. He reexamined Kenshi's clothing. He was dressed too simply to decipher any meaning behind it. Simply dressed, yes, but not _ordinary_, like some City commoner. Not too flashy, either, like a Triple Threat gangbanger would have been. _Who do you work for? _

The newcomer raised his hands defensively. "I beg of you, don't misunderstand me," he said. "I'm not here to cause trouble. My employer only wishes to speak with you, to negotiate the terms of your agreement."

Naomi frowned and looked to Raoul. "What terms?" Raoul said. "What agreement? You haven't even given me your employer's name. Who do you work for, and what do they want with me and my wife?"

Kenshi cleared his throat and clasped his hands together on the table. He spoke in a low voice. "We know, Mr. Li. We know how you funneled money to the Equalist Movement, supported them from the shadows. From behind your wallet."

Naomi's eyes widened as she gasped, one hand to her chest.

Raoul scoffed at the man. "That is absurd. You have no proof of that, why would I—

"Please," Kenshi said. He smiled as he continued. "Like I said, do not misunderstand me. My employer isn't interested in exposing your guilt. Instead, he'd like to give you a second chance."

* * *

_-Southern Water Tribe, eleven days after Tenora's latest attack-_

"That was good, Asami," Korra said. "That was…that was a good form…"

Korra, Asami, Tenzin, and Katara were inside the White Lotus barracks. So far, they had discovered that Korra _and _Asami could now bend. The full extent of their recent spiritual union was still a mystery to them all, but every time Korra used her bending she felt as if they were getting closer and closer to something. Something important, but she couldn't say what.

Katara had guessed that the four elements would be split between the two of them, and it seemed like she was correct. Korra had recovered her water- and airbending, though she would need more time to get back up to speed. For now, she was overjoyed simply to bend at all.

Four days ago, Asami had unlocked her own firebending, and since then, Korra had been trying to teach Asami as best she could, but it was hard. Tenzin and Katara were both the strongest benders in the world for their elements, but because they'd evicted the White Lotus, it was up to Korra to teach Asami the basics of firebending. Tenzin and Katara observed from a bench as Asami struggled with her new abilities.

Asami put one hand on her hip. "What do you mean, 'good form'? I did it exactly like you said." They had set up four training mannequins against the far wall for Asami to throw fireballs at. Not a single one had scorch marks yet.

Korra walked over to Asami, her hands up defensively. "I know, and it _was _good, really, it was." She took Asami's elbows in her hands, pushing them closer to Asami's chest. "But try like this. Elbows in, feet shoulder-width apart. Oh, and remember to breathe."

Asami shrugged off Korra's hands. "Gee, thanks. If I forgot to breathe, I'd die."

"I meant _really _breathe, with each strike. Firebending is all about breath, all about—

—'Breathing life into your own fire,'" Asami mocked her. "You said that already."

Korra frowned and backed away. "Alright," she said. She looked back at Tenzin and Katara for help, but they both shrugged with sad smiles on their faces. _Thanks, you two._ She turned back to Asami. "Well, let's try again. Light those targets up, but with each hit, really _breathe _right when you move, it'll give your fire a good push, and—

"Just let me try, Korra."

Before Korra could protest, Asami turned back to face the mannequins. She threw several punch-like motions in rapid succession, but only a few of them produced fire. Unfortunately, the flames didn't go very far at all before fizzing out in midair, but Asami kept trying. When she didn't produce a flame, she would yell in frustration, which would then actually shoot some fire, which only angered Asami more.

After another few minutes passed and all the mannequins still remained unburned, Asami let out a grunt of anger and stomped her foot. A large circle of flame appeared at her feet and spread away from her, but it made Asami jump with fright. At her wit's end, Asami approached the training dummies, still trying to firebend at them, and cursing most of the way.

"Why—won't—you—just—fucking—burn!" By the last word, she'd reached the closest mannequin and began punching it in the head.

_This is only getting worse, _Korra thought. "Hey, Asami…why don't we take a little break?"

Asami didn't hear her, and instead kept punching the dummy. She reared her fist back for one final punch, she screamed in anger as it connected, and a burst of fire blasted the dummy several yards away. Asami stood with her back to Korra, Tenzin, and Katara as she heaved with exhaustion.

"Hey, that was…something," Korra offered, trying to cheer her up. "Really, that was good. Your emotions can really augment your firebending, but the trick is to control it, or else—

"Shut up, Korra, just shut up!"

Korra's heart sank, and she felt her cheeks grow hot. "Asami, I was just—

"I said shut up!" Asami turned around to face Korra, and she ran at her to shout in her face. Her face was red, her golden eyes shone with rage, and her hands quaked as she poked Korra in the chest. "You've been saying the _exact same_ _shit_ over and over and over! Obviously it's not sinking in, I'm never going to get this, so just—shut—up!"

While she had been yelling at Korra, Asami had backed her up against the wall opposite the mannequins. Now that she was done yelling, Asami saw that Tenzin and Katara had seen her whole outburst, but instead of running away in embarrassment, she stood fuming in front of Korra, her golden eyes on fire with anger.

Korra knew exactly how Asami was feeling. _The rage feels good, Asami, I know it does. How do I get through to her when she's like this? _Korra could feel the heat of rage emanating from Asami, and she could hear her frantic breathing. When a firebender becomes enraged, it can be difficult to calm them down again, a fact Korra herself had struggled with for a long time. _It really does feel so good to burn things, to destroy stuff, like you have all the power in the world. _

Tenzin and Katara hadn't moved from their spot on the bench. Korra closed her eyes as she struggled with her own temper. "Tenzin…Katara…a moment, please?"

Tenzin cleared his throat. "We will, uh…we'll be in Mother's kitchen if you need us."

Korra didn't open her eyes again until the two elders had left the barracks. The snowstorm from a few days ago had finally subsided, so there was no _whoosh _of wind when they opened the door. When she next opened her eyes after the door was shut, Korra found Asami still steaming in front of her. She tried taking Asami's hands, as slowly and passively as she could, but Asami swatted them away.

"Asami, listen to me. I know—

"No, you don't Korra, that's the problem! You _think _you know!"

"Dammit Asami, I'm a firebender, too! So yeah, I _think _I know what I'm talking about!"

Asami all but hit her as they continued yelling. "If you're such a great firebender, why don't you do it right now?!"

_I've had about enough of this for today. _With a grunt, Korra shoved Asami away. The push caught her off guard and she tripped over her own feet, and went down on her butt. She hung her head as she sat where she'd fallen, her silky black hair draped over her face.

Seeing Asami crumpled on the ground like that broke Korra's heart, and she immediately crouched to her side. "I'm sorry, Asami, I didn't mean to—

"Ahhhggg!" Asami lunged at her legs and took Korra down.

Korra shielded her face with her arms, but Asami went for her ribs. She managed to land a few stinging jabs into Korra's side as they rolled around before Korra broke loose and stood up. Asami rolled into a crouch, and before Korra could speak, she lunged at her again with more punches. Korra dodged left and landed a kick to Asami's calf to trip her again, but she was a quick fighter, and was already facing Korra with her own kicks and jabs.

Asami was in full rage-mode, and she never halted in her assault. Every time Korra dodged, Asami whipped around with another kick or punch, and every other strike had the force of firebending behind it. She wasn't in a completely blind rage, though: Asami didn't rush Korra headfirst, and even if Korra managed to hit her with a well-timed kick, Asami could counter it and still keeping hitting. Korra could already feel bruises forming in her legs and arms. _I can't beat her in a normal fight…_

Korra feinted to the right and rolled, and as she did so she brought up some water from the nearby healing-pool. When she rolled to her feet, Asami was spinning to land a kick, but Korra blasted her with a jet of water to knock her away. "Asami, please stop!"

No such luck. Asami flipped to her feet and sprinted headfirst at her. Korra shot another jet, but Asami spun to the left. When she came back around, her right fist was covered in flame, and the impact of the fiery punch sent Korra flying backward several yards. She slid on her back and jumped to her feet. Asami thrust her arms out, and twin streaks of flame darted toward Korra. Korra bent more water out of the pool to shield herself with, most of the water evaporating on contact with Asami's fire. With what little water was left, she froze Asami's legs to the ground and charged.

Asami lost no time. Even with her feet frozen in place, she kept launching lines of fire at Korra. _Oh, _now_ she can do it right. _Korra sprinted for Asami, dodging the fireballs as she did, leaped at her midriff, and wrapped her arms around Asami's waist as she took her down, the ice shattering from the impact. Korra kept Asami in a bear-hug as they rolled around, Asami screaming and pounding on Korra's back the whole time.

After another two minutes of struggle, Asami quit trying to beat her. Korra was on her back and had Asami wrapped tightly on top of her. Korra's heart was thundering in her ears, but she heard Asami as she began to cry.

Cautiously, Korra released her death-grip on Asami and held her more tenderly. Asami laced her own arms around Korra's neck and cried into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Korra," she cried. "Dammit, I'm so—so sorry…"

Korra was still stunned from their fight, but she shushed her as gently as she could. "It's OK, Asami, it's alright. I'm…I'm sorry, too."

With Asami still on top of her, Korra sat up and moved Asami onto her lap. All she could do was hug her and wait for Asami to cry herself out. They sat together for more than five minutes, Asami crying and Korra cradling her.

Finally, Asami sighed into Korra's shoulder. "I'm tired, Korra, so _tired. _And I'm scared."

"I—" Korra was going to say _I know_, but that was what had set Asami off in the first place. _How do I empathize with her without sounding like a know-it-all? _She kissed the top of Asami's head and held her closer for a moment, and hoped that would make her feel better. _I don't know how to help you just yet, _Korra thought. _But I promise I will._

* * *

_-Republic City, a week after the attack on Su's sub, nighttime-_

"Do you really believe he can do it?" Naomi asked Raoul.

_Not in the slightest, _Raoul thought, but he didn't say that.

The two of them were driving to a rendezvous with Kenshi, who worked for none other than Sahno Tenora. Raoul Li had met the Future Industries co-owner on multiple occasions before making this deal with him—that is, before the man went insane. Raoul hadn't yet talked face-to-face with Tenora, but that was going to change, tonight.

Tenora's attacks on Air Temple Island, and something to do with a Metal Clan submarine, had been all over the radio and newspapers for days now. A veritable manhunt was being enacted throughout the City as Lin's Metal Teams searched for Tenora. If he'd known how violent this whole thing would get, Raoul would never have agreed to work with the ex-CEO. _That is why we're going to renegotiate the terms._

Tenora, through Kenshi, had offered Raoul the same deal that Amon had several years ago: If Raoul would secretly fund Tenora's movement, he was guaranteed a lifelong position in the City council, as well as a monopoly in the liquor market. Raoul didn't for one minute believe that Tenora would succeed, but sometimes success can come from the failures of others. As such, Raoul was determined to learn as much about Tenora's plan as he could. Kenshi was waiting for them at the docks.

"It doesn't matter whether I think he can do it or not," Raoul replied.

"I mean, think about it," Naomi said. "Wouldn't _you_ want to have bending like the Avatar?"

Raoul thought for a moment. They were driving in Naomi's favorite sapphire-blue convertible satomobile, and she'd worn her favorite matching blue evening dress, which left little to the imagination. And her pearls, pearls everywhere. Pearls in her ears, pearls around her neck, pearl-inlaid rings dotted her fingers. Even with the wind all around them, Raoul could smell Naomi's flowery perfume. _She's the whole package, all right. _Raoul knew some cunning, ruthless, and bloodthirsty business men, but Naomi could give them all a run for their money. She was his most valuable asset and business partner. He just happened to sleep with her.

Raoul countered with a question of his own. "What do you think Tenora hopes to achieve by giving bending to the world?"

Naomi was quick. "He preaches total equality, but if _he's _the one to do such a thing, to give everyone bending—people would revere him above anyone else." She turned to look at Raoul, the wind whipping her blonde hair behind her. "He'd be like a new Avatar, of sorts."

Raoul smiled. "Exactly right, my dear Naomi."

They rounded a corner and the docks came into view. Air Temple Island loomed across the salty waters. To Raoul and Naomi's left, the airship docks contained a general hustle-and-bustle as crewmen loaded and off-loaded boxes from multiple airships. The docks for watercraft were less lively. Small private boats floated next to large ocean liners like some mismatched schoolyard, but next to one speedboat stood Kenshi. As always, he was dressed in his black jacket and slacks.

Raoul parked their satomobile and killed the engine. Kenshi had seen their arrival, and he was already there opening the door for Naomi and offering her his hand.

"How goes your evening, Madam Li?" Kenshi asked her.

"_Much _better, now that you're here," Naomi said. She allowed herself to be helped from the car, and after Kenshi closed the door for her she wrapped her small, busty frame against him. _Too bad he won't fall for it,_ Raoul thought. _The secrets he might reveal in Naomi's bed…_

Kenshi merely smiled but ignored her advances. "And you, Mr. Li? I hope everything is well with you."

Raoul returned the smile as he walked around the front of the blue car. "We shall see, but I'm thinking this evening will end well for us all." He shook Kenshi's outstretched hand.

"I'm certain it will," Kenshi said. With Naomi still clinging to his left, he indicated a vacant building opposite the docks. "Shall we go, then?"

Raoul looked at the crumbling brick business. At one time, the brick façade had been painted a light blue, but most of it had chipped away in the salty ocean breeze. Even the windows spoke of the building's age with their smoky glass, and some were cracked. A faded sign still hung over the front door, an antique from when this building housed a profitable business. The sign read **Harken's Bait and Tackle**, complete with a little fish snagged on a hook.

"In here?" Raoul asked. The building was indeed vacant, but it seemed an odd place for a wanted man to hide in.

Kenshi gave him a wry smile as he unlocked the front door, Naomi still pressing herself against him. "Yes…and no. Please, follow me." He opened the door and led them inside.

The interior of this old fishing supply store had aged little better than the exterior. Aside from a small path beginning at the door, dust covered every square inch of the place. To Raoul's left stood the counter where one would have purchased said fishing gear, and there were still several shelves opposite the counter, though there was not a single piece of bait or tackle left. The wooden floor panels were beginning to curl upward at the edges, and they creaked something awful when stepped on.

"Through here," Kenshi said. He was unlocking another door behind the counter, which had probably been the inventory room for the old shop, or a broom closet. That thought amused Raoul. _Sahno Tenora, capable of alluding Republic City's finest, is hiding in a broom closet._

Raoul followed Kenshi and Naomi into the small dark room, and unsurprisingly, Tenora was not hiding in here. Kenshi reached over his head to yank a small light-cord, and a single bulb illuminated the room with a dull yellow glow. There was nothing in here, no brooms, no empty shelves. Only an old safe set into the wall, which Raoul had to admit was rather large for such a small business, and perhaps more modern than would be expected. The circular safe was nearly floor-to-ceiling, and almost as wide as this room. But still no Tenora.

"Kenshi…" Raoul said.

The younger man held up a hand. "Relax, Mr. Li. We're almost there."

Kenshi dug around in his back pocket and produced a set of keys, and he inserted one of them into the wall safe. The large circle door sprang open with a small clang. Raoul could see some sort of control panel lighting up the inside of the safe with an electric-yellow glow.

"Shall we?" Kenshi said. With Naomi still attached to him, he stepped into the safe and beckoned Raoul to join them, but Raoul hesitated.

Naomi squinted at the buttons, and then at the empty safe around her. "What is this thing, Kenshi?"

"An elevator, madam. Tenora awaits us at the bottom."

* * *

_-Southern Water Tribe, twelve days after Tenora's attack-_

Asami awoke the next day to the savory aroma of bacon.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Korra walking toward her from the barracks kitchen carrying a large platter topped with biscuits, two bowls of oatmeal, two glasses of milk, heaps of fried eggs, and, yes, _bacon_. It was rather comical to watch Korra attempt to balance the whole thing and remain quiet. She was so focused on the task that she didn't see that Asami had awoken.

"Would you like some help with that?" Asami asked from her bed. Her question startled Korra, and she very nearly toppled the entire breakfast platter, though a few biscuits inevitably fell to the ground. Asami laughed as she threw off her blankets and went to help Korra. "What's all this?"

They set the platter down on a small round table, the only table left in the barracks, and they sat down to begin eating. "This," Korra said as she handed Asami a plate of food, "is the beginning of our day off."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Our day off?"

Korra nodded because her mouth was already full of food. "Yup," she said after swallowing. "Just the two of us. No bending training, no meditation, no physical therapy, nothing. I have something special in mind." She beamed at Asami and winked.

Asami couldn't help but smile at Korra's enthusiasm. "I can hardly wait," she said. She looked down at her own breakfast. _I had no idea Korra knew how to cook. _"Did _you_ make all of this?"

Korra stopped chewing, and her cheeks reddened a little. "What, you don't think I can make this kind of stuff?"

Asami took an experimental bite of her scrambled eggs. They were fluffy and perfectly seasoned, and definitely Pema-made. Katara must have fried the bacon, Pema being a vegetarian. Asami shook her head. "Not at all." Korra gave her a playful kick under the table for that.

After their delicious breakfast, they'd gotten dressed for the day and went to Katara's cottage for some morning tea. Korra had already spoken with Katara about their day off, and though she thought it was a great idea, Asami and Korra were forbidden to go into Harbor City. Which was just as well, Korra had told Asami, because they were bound for the opposite direction.

Beneath the White Lotus compound there was a sizeable animal pen. Oogi, Pepper, and Naga greeted Asami and Korra with plenty of licks and tail-wagging, though the two air-bison were still recovering from their own injuries. Asami rubbed Pepper behind an ear while Korra saddled Naga.

"So where _are _we going?" Asami asked.

"Somewhere special," was all Korra would give her. She cinched the last strap of Naga's leather saddle and began securing their bags.

Asami looked at the packs of gear Korra had brought. There were bedrolls, blankets, extra fur-lined parkas, a pouch of dried meat and bread, and a thermos of hot tea. "Looks like you packed enough for _ten _days off," she teased Korra.

Korra laughed. "Most of this is just for an emergency. When you live here at the South Pole, you learn to pack more than enough." She mounted Naga's back and held a hand out for Asami. "Now come on, before Naga gets antsy."

Their journey across the frozen landscape took a little over an hour and a half, and it was mostly a silent ride. Not because they didn't want to talk to each other, but because they had wrapped thick scarves around their faces to shield them from the driving snow. The weather had turned on them soon after they'd left the compound, a sudden snowstorm that blotted out the sun. Asami had suggested they turn back, but Korra assured her that Naga knew the way, and there would be shelter at their destination. The polar-bear-dog bounded off into the endless white, following her own internal compass, and only stopped once or twice to mark her territory.

Asami had nearly fallen asleep behind Korra. With her hood up, her face covered, and with Korra blocking most of the freezing wind, she was rather warm and comfortable, or as comfortable as one can be on the back of a polar-bear-dog. She had her arms laced around Korra's middle and leaned her head against her back. _I feel so safe, _she realized. _With Korra, I'm safe._

Naga halted, sat back on her haunches, and barked to signal their arrival. "We're here," Korra said to translate for her pet.

Asami opened her eyes and lifted her head, but she didn't relinquish her grasp of Korra just yet. They had arrived at the foot of a massive glacier, a mountain of ocean-blue ice. They were behind it, too, on the side of the coast, which Asami was thankful for. The glacier blocked the driving wind and snow, and though the air was still cold here, it was calm.

"What is this place?" Asami asked.

"You'll see," Korra said. "That is, if you let me go," she added with a laugh.

Asami laid her head on Korra's back again and squeezed. Korra couldn't see it, but she smiled. "Do you _want _me to let you go?"

Though they were gloved, Asami felt Korra hold her hands. "For now, yes," she said. "But…who knows what might happen later?"

Asami laughed, but she released Korra and dismounted from Naga. "Oooh, I've never made love by a glacier before," she joked.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Asami felt embarrassed. The words 'made love' produced a wash of blushing on Korra's face, and Asami felt her own cheeks grow hot. They hadn't yet talked about such a thing. They'd gotten close—_so close_—but Asami had begun to wonder when they would take the plunge together.

Luckily, Korra's sense of humor kicked in to kill the awkward moment. "Well, you're in luck, then," she said as she slid from Naga's saddle. "This is just about the most romantic spot in the entire South Pole."

Asami raised an eyebrow, but she smiled. "Really? This ice cube?"

"Just trust me," Korra said. She looped her arm through Asami's and they trudged upward toward the glacier, together, with Naga bringing up the rear.

The snowstorm had deposited a fresh layer of powder up against the side of the glacier, so by the time they reached the wall of ice they were almost knee-deep in snow. But still, it was just that: a wall of ice. _Not very romantic, so far._

Korra looked left and right down the side of the glacier. "Naga, find," she commanded, and the loyal polar-bear-dog immediately put her nose to work. Within seconds, Naga was digging into the snow with her massive front paws, and after a moment she unearthed…more glacier wall, but she sat back with a wide, toothy grin and barked.

"What are we looking for, Korra?" Asami asked.

"This." Korra waved her arms in two fluid motions, and a large circular patch of the ice wall melted away to reveal a dark tunnel. Asami peered into it, but it was hard to see very far. "Shall we?" Korra said.

"What's in there?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Asami. This is our day off, we're going to have fun. You remember _fun, _don't you?" She nudged Asami ahead of her into the tunnel. "You first, light of my life." Korra and Naga entered the tunnel behind Asami, and Korra waterbended some snow up to seal the entrance again. The tunnel was large enough for all three of them to walk comfortably, but it was too dark.

"I can't see a thing," Asami said.

"Asami," Korra said, taking her arm again. "Light of my life…_light…_you can _firebend_."

Asami was suddenly glad for the darkness. It hid her blush from Korra. "Right. I knew that," she said. The last time Asami had used her new firebending was yesterday during her fight with Korra, and that hadn't ended all that well. She was still not crazy about being a bender.

Korra must have sensed her trepidation. "I know you can do it," she said softly, and squeezed her arm.

Asami exhaled and extended the fingers of her free hand, and fire instantly enveloped her whole fist to illuminate the tunnel. Naga ran ahead of them through the tunnel, which they could now see was an incline that spiraled down and to the left. The walls of the tunnel were solid ice, and they reflected Asami's fire in such a way that the walls appeared orange. Korra beamed at Asami's firebending, and she tugged her along as they followed Naga further into the glacier.

The spiraling tunnel didn't last long, and when it came to an end, Asami's jaw dropped. They were standing in a massive underground cavern, a space almost the size of the Pro-Bending Arena in Republic City, but it was not dark in here. This was a glacier cavern, and the ice in the walls and ceiling were tinged blue from the outside light, giving the whole place an otherworldly glow, but there was also a hole in the ceiling that let in plenty of sunlight. At Asami and Korra's feet was a small stream that led into a short waterfall, and that fed the small underground lake directly below them. Naga was waiting for them on the other side of the flowing stream.

"Wow," Asami breathed. She let her fire fizzle out, though they didn't need it in here. "Korra, this is—_wow_."

Korra reached up to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Cool, huh?" she said. "Katara used to bring me here all the time when I was a kid. It's kinda like a sacred place for waterbenders, and their friends." She released Asami's arm and leapt across the stream to untie Naga's saddle, who promptly dove from the cliff into the lake once she was loose.

_This place is amazing_, Asami thought as she followed Korra. Across the stream was level, dry land, a good spot to make a makeshift camp. She helped Korra with their bags, and together they spread out their bedrolls and blankets to form a comfortable flooring. Ice and snow are actually great insulators, so it was warm enough in here for them to shed their fur-lined coats and gloves.

Despite what Korra had said about no bending, they entertained themselves for a few hours with light sparring—both with and without bending—watching Naga swim in the frigid lake, and simply gazing at the ice all around them as it changed its shade of blue with the position of the sun. Asami found that her firebending came easier when it was just her and Korra, and in no time at all she could keep up a sustained stream of fire, as Korra deflected it with her waterbending. Korra had bid Naga to find some wood for a fire, and after a few minutes the polar-bear-dog returned with a mouthful of drift wood she'd found on the coast, which was easy enough for Asami to set aflame. _Maybe bending isn't so bad, after all, _Asami thought.

They tired out eventually, and now they were sitting up against their empty bags, watching Naga plunge headfirst to hunt the fish that inhabited this subterranean lake, and eating some of the jerky Korra had brought. Korra laid her head on Asami's shoulder and held her hand. They remained in peaceful silence like this for several minutes.

Finally, Korra sighed. "Can I ask you something?"

Asami laughed softly. "Of course, Korra. What is it?"

Korra didn't respond for a little while. She was rubbing Asami's knuckles with her thumb, a sure sign that she was nervous. "Why did you turn against your father, back during the Equalist revolution?"

Asami's heart sank, and she stopped to gather her thoughts, and her breath. Even today, years after her father's betrayal, any mention of him still knocked the wind out of her. "I…he was…changed, I guess. I didn't see my father that night. I saw someone else, someone who was willing to _kill_ my friends for some lunatic revolutionary. That night, he wasn't my father anymore."

"I could tell he loved you. I'm sure he still does."

"That doesn't change what he did, Korra," Asami said. Her cheeks felt hot and she turned to look at Korra. "Would you rather I had turned against _you?_"

"Of course not," Korra said. She took Asami's hand in both of hers. "I'm just saying…I've always admired you for that decision. If I had been in that position, I don't think I could've done what you did." She gave Asami a light kiss on the lips. "You're much braver than you give yourself credit for."

Asami was going to respond, but the glacier cave interrupted her train of thought. The light-blue color of the ice walls turned into a lustrous ruby red. The water in the lake sent dancing lines of light onto the walls and ceiling, making the whole place feel alive. It looked like being inside a precious jewel, and it took Asami's breath away.

All Asami could think to say was, "How?"

Korra smiled at her. "It's the sunset, the way the light hits the ice."

"It's beautiful," Asami said.

Korra put one hand around Asami's neck and pulled her close to connect their lips.

It couldn't have gone more perfect if they'd planned it. They kissed for maybe two minutes before Asami felt Korra's hands at her belt. In one dexterous swipe, she unclasped Asami's belt and tossed it aside, their lips never once parting while she did so. As if on cue, they both pulled away at the same time, Asami peeling Korra's shirt off first, then Korra doing the same for her. Asami shivered slightly in her bra—before Korra took it off of her—but the heat of the campfire felt good on her skin, as did Korra's warm hands. Korra put one hand on Asami's chest to gently push her onto her back. Korra's violet eyes were glowing like purple candle flames, and the wry smile on her lips sent more shivers down Asami's spine.

Korra reached down to the waistband of Asami's pants and began to tug them off. She was gentle with the whole process, but there was still a sense of urgency to her movements. They both wanted to take the time to savor this moment, this new experience together, but they both wanted it _now_. Asami's heart raced with anticipation.

Finally Asami's legs were bare. Korra was on top of her, and they kissed a few more times as Asami undid Korra's bra, and she tossed it onto the growing pile of discarded clothing. Asami smoothed her hands down Korra's bare back and found the waist of her pants. Korra parted and sat down next to Asami while she tugged her pants loose. When they were off, Korra nearly pounced onto Asami again with more kisses, kissing her lips, cheeks, and neck, before working her way further down to her breasts, only to come right back up for Asami's lips.

Asami parted from Korra's kissing and looked into her eyes. As she did so, she hooked her thumbs through the waistband of Korra's cotton underwear. Korra's shining violet eyes said _do it_, so Asami pulled them over Korra's buttocks and down her legs. Korra leaned back to let Asami finish undressing her, and then she did the same for her. Another moment later they were both completely, finally, naked.

Korra pounced once more, but Asami reversed it. She rolled Korra over onto her back and cupped her face in her hands for more kissing. Korra wrapped her arms around Asami's neck and they pressed their bodies together. _Oh Korra, I love you. I love you. _Pleasure rippled through Asami's skin, even more so when she felt the goosebumps on Korra's neck.

Asami gasped when she felt Korra's hand between her legs. Korra's fingers halted, and she looked up at Asami to gauge her reaction. Asami smiled and nodded, and Korra continued. A small involuntary moan escaped Asami's lips, accompanied by a new flash of excitement, but she only pressed herself more firmly against Korra and kept kissing her. Asami ran her own hand down over Korra's breasts and stomach, and then lower, to do to her what she was doing to Asami.

Asami had doubted herself for too long. For a long time before she'd revealed her feelings to Korra, she had seriously doubted her worth. A tiny part of her had wanted to give up being bisexual, as if it was merely a phase she would soon outgrow. The logical part of her had said no, it wasn't just a phase, this was what she was. But that _voice_ hadn't yet left her, that accusing, discriminating voice of a thirteen-year-old girl. That voice had told Asami she didn't belong, and would never belong, that it was impossible for Korra to love her.

Any last trace of Giji Kirasito's memory vanished from Asami's mind in this moment. She felt Korra's back arch underneath her, and Korra parted their lips to issue a soft moan. Asami's own passion was about to ignite, and Korra seemed to know it, and she worked her hand harder in Asami.

Asami finally collapsed against Korra, the Water Tribe girl's skin sending rivers of joy through her. They laid on their sides on the bedrolls, still pressed together with their legs tangled around each other. "I love you," Korra said between kisses. They were both out of breath. "I love you so much, Asami, I love..."

"I love you, Korra." This time, there was no doubt for Asami, no scolding, accusatory voice in her head. There was only Korra, and there would only ever _be _Korra, now.

Korra pulled a blanket over the two of them and nestled her head under Asami's chin. "Don't ever let me go," she said.

"I never will."


	28. Chapter 27: Preparation (Part 3)

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:** Hello again, fellow readers! I'm sure this is the last story you ever expected an update for, and I hope I haven't lost too many readers during my long absence. I don't really have a good explanation for my abstinence from writing, other than I enjoyed my summer vacation and was just really lazy! Anyway, here's to more chapters in the coming future! Cheers, and happy reading!

CHAPTER XXVII: PREPARATION

PART III

Korra awoke the next morning to what sounded like several large splashes. She bolted upright on the bedroll, still naked underneath the thick blanket, and turned to rouse Asami, but she wasn't there. Asami was not lying next to her. Her clothes had also vanished from where they'd both hurriedly undressed last night.

Panic swept through Korra when she saw the empty bedroll. _Oh no, _she thought. _I screwed up. Dammit, somehow I screwed it up. _She sank down onto her back again and felt her chest, trying to somehow slow her quickened heartbeat. _Maybe I went too far with her._

Her thoughts were interrupted by another large splash from down by the underground lake. Korra crawled toward the cliff to look out over the small waterfall, bringing the blanket with her to block out the cold. Their campfire from last night had long gone out, but a new fire on the lake's shore sent soft plumes of smoke up and out through the opening in the cave's ceiling. The fear in Korra's heart immediately abated when she discovered the source of the splashing.

Asami was standing on the lake's shore in a rather peculiar stance. She was standing with her feet spread out, knees and elbows bent at ninety-degree angles, and her arms up, as if ready to strike or block. That stance looked almost comical on Asami, but Korra couldn't say exactly why. Asami hadn't seen Korra peeking over the edge of the cliff yet, so Korra continued to watch her. She thought Asami's posture looked familiar, but it took her a full thirty seconds to realize what Asami was doing, and what had made the splashes.

Asami was _earthbending. _

Before Korra's eyes, Asami punched toward the lake and pulled her hand back again. A large wet boulder exploded out from under the lake's surface, hovered in the air for a few seconds, and fell back into the water again as Asami struggled to maintain control of the rock. Korra heard her grumble to herself a little, but she breathed in and stomped one foot, causing another large section of earth to shoot out from the water and fly all the way over to the far side of the lake. Naga was there watching fish swim by, and Asami's sudden meteor crash-landed right next to the unsuspecting polar-bear-dog. Naga yelped and tried to run, but her giant paws slipped in the wet snow, sending her entire huge form into the water.

Korra laughed from where she sat at the cliff. Asami heard her and jumped, trying to see where Korra was hiding. While Korra kept laughing, Asami finally looked up to see her clutching the blanket to her chin. Even from up here, Korra could see the blush rise in Asami's cheeks.

"Oh, uh…good morning, Korra," Asami said. Naga surfaced in the middle of the lake and whimpered in Asami's direction before swimming away. Asami rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess you, um…saw all that?"

Korra wiped at her face. "I saw enough," she teased. "You're a danger to polar-bear-dogs everywhere."

Asami scrunched her face into her favorite fake-pouting expression and folded her arms. "Whatever, I thought I did pretty good. Those rocks are heavy, you know."

"Yeah, that was really good," Korra said. Then she smirked. "Except I could do that before I was six years old."

"Don't make me come up there!"

Korra shrugged. She faced her back to Asami and loosened her grip on the blanket to expose her shoulders and her bare back. "Be my guest," Korra called over her shoulder before crawling back to the bedroll. She threw the blanket off herself, shivered when the cold air bit her naked skin, and reached for her large travelling bag for fresh clothes. Korra donned her usual Water Tribe attire, though with a few differences to accommodate for the cold; panties and bra first, then soft leather-and-fur-lined pants, leather boots, a shirt, and a heavy fur-lined coat for the trip back to the compound.

She had just enough time to pull her blue shirt down over her head before Asami bear-hugged her from behind.

"Now you're gonna get it," Asami said in her ear.

Korra couldn't help but smile. "Keep this up, girly-girl, and you might get hurt."

"Oh, really?" Asami squeezed her harder for a moment. She had Korra's arms pinned down to her sides, but that wouldn't hold her for long. Asami giggled behind her. "I think I like you right where you are."

_I do too, _Korra thought. "Well," she said, "if you wanna fight, then let's fight."

"Ground rules," Asami said.

"Name 'em."

"No hair pulling and no face shots."

Korra nodded, and tried to suppress a smile. She loved the feeling of Asami pressed against her. "Of course. Anything else?"

"Loser has to kiss the winner."

Korra snorted. "That hardly seems fair for you, but okay."

"How is that not fair for me?"

Korra didn't answer. She felt Asami's grip slacken by just a fraction, but that was all she needed. Korra leaned forward then _pushed _backward with her feet, supplying even more lift with her airbending. Both girls launched off the cliff, over the waterfall, and down the twenty-or-so feet to the frigid lake. As they fell, Asami screamed with fright, gripped Korra tighter, while Korra screamed with laughter and twisted in Asami's arms to face her.

Right before they collided with the water, Korra kissed Asami.

After they made splash down, Korra shot her arms forward to separate the water around them into a bubble, an air pocket big enough to hold them both, and she sped them toward the bottom of the lake. Korra knew their air bubble would last only so long, but it would be long enough.

This underground lake was deceptively deep. After about fifteen feet away from the shore and at about the same footage in depth, the lake's bottom suddenly drops off into an eerie black abyss. Korra torpedoed them down to the very edge of this drop-off, and they both stood on the pebbly-bottomed cliff, a seeming eternity looming below them. A small school of fish darted past, a hungry Naga swimming after them in their wake.

Here in the bubble, it was still very dark, but not so much that Korra couldn't see Asami's face. She had to maintain her slow bending movements to keep the water from rushing in on them, though Asami was free to let go and look around, but she didn't. She looked only at Korra, her arms still wrapped tightly around her chest.

Her smile would not leave Asami's face. "You're something else, you know that?" she whispered. Both girls were soaked through, and Asami's raven hair clung to the sides of her face in ebony strands. Asami's golden eyes smoldered faintly in the darkness, like two hot coals: Not very bright, but noticeable.

Korra grinned, too. "So…who won?"

Asami cupped Korra's face, careful not to get in the way of her flowing arms. "I did," she said before uniting their lips.

After pulling away from the kiss, both girls' eyes were shining incandescently. Korra could even see the purple light from her own eyes shading Asami's visage. Asami's golden orbs now shone even brighter than before, though neither of them said a word about it. To Korra's mind, it seemed natural enough, given what they both had been through lately.

"I love you, Asami," Korra whispered. "But I can't keep this up forever," she added with a small laugh.

Asami blinked when she laughed, the visual effect of which was like a candle flickering in a breeze. "Alright, take us away," she said with a sigh. She leaned forward to rest her head on Korra's shoulder, and on a mental count of three, Korra released her bending and wrapped her arms around Asami. Right as the water rushed in on them, Korra spun to the right and spiraled upwards at an incredible speed.

They breached the surface and rocketed toward the shore, their momentum carrying them up and out of the water. Korra softened their landing with a short burst of air, and the two girls finally released each other after a moment.

Asami looked back at the lake and laughed through her chattering teeth. The inside of this glacier cave was much warmer than outside, but Korra's breath still fogged in front of her.

Korra spun in place on one foot, and a small tornado _whooshed _into life around her, effectively drying out her clothing. The little campfire on the shore had gone out, and Asami tried to reignite it, but could not produce a flame.

She looked at her hands, confused for a moment, then thrust her palms out again. Still no fire.

"Hold still," Korra said. She created another tiny windstorm around Asami to dry her off. Asami yelped into the wind, her hair blowing in every direction. Korra laughed. "There. Firebending is hard to do when you're cold, and even harder if you're soaking wet."

To prove Korra correct, Asami aimed for the still-smoking logs of the campfire. A quick line of fire slashed outward from her hands and the logs ignited with an audible _fwoossh. _The heat reached Korra's face almost as fast as the sound did, and she and Asami both stood around the soothing flames.

Korra turned around to warm her backside and arched her back to stretch. Asami gazed into the lapping flames as their soft orange light bounced off the ice all around them, sending refracted rays of red and yellow all around the glacier cave.

Korra faced the campfire again, trying to absorb as much heat as she could through her extended palms. She mimicked Asami by staring into the fire. With the warmth against her hands, Korra was suddenly very aware that she could no longer firebend. _I know I'll miss it, _she thought. _Fire was the easiest for me to learn._

They both sat awhile as they watched the glacier cave gradually change colors. Asami's head appeared on Korra's shoulder, and as Korra's right arm instinctively wrapped itself around Asami's middle, Asami began to stroke her hair. As the sun continued to rise outside, the cave walls went from yellow to blue over the course of ten minutes or so, despite their campfire's best efforts to turn the entire place red. _I wish we could stay here forever_, Korra thought. She lifted her head to look at Asami.

Though Korra did miss Asami's emerald eyes, her new golden orbs set off her raven hair like never before. The firelight dancing in her eyes made Asami look somewhat older, or very deep in thought. From a distance, her new eye color made her look almost like a completely different person, but up close, she was the same Asami that Korra loved.

Asami turned to see Korra examining her. "What?" she asked.

Korra shrugged. "Nothing," she said. "Just thinking."

Asami nudged her. "Come on, say it."

At that moment, Naga appeared next to them, soaking wet, and walked around to Asami. Korra's pet had a sheepish look on her face and a freshly caught fish in her mouth, which she dropped next to Asami. The poor fish had several large bite marks in it. Naga then laid her head down with the most perfect example of puppy-eyes that anyone had ever seen.

"Aww," Korra said, glad for the diversion. "Good girl, Naga." She nudged Asami with her elbow. "Look, Naga says she forgives you."

"She 'forgives me?' For what?" Before Korra could say anything, Naga barked happily. She stood up to lick Asami, but Naga's tongue was easily twice as wide as Asami's head. "Okay, okay! Korra, make her stop," she laughed.

After Asami dried the drool off her face, she and Korra ate a few pieces of the dried jerky they'd brought before packing everything up. Asami rolled up their bedrolls and blankets while Korra strapped Naga into her saddle to prepare for the journey back to the compound.

As Asami continued securing their bags to Naga's saddle, Korra walked down to the lake in the middle of this glacier cave. The water reflected the ice all around her, so the lake's surface was a radiant orange-yellow. Korra knelt down on the water's edge to look at her reflection. Her hair was loose and free around her shoulders, and she ran her fingers through it a few times, savoring the almost-silent swish of her own hair gliding across her fingers, before she unsheathed her knife. With a sigh, she gathered up a fistful of her hair behind her head and cut it off in one graceful slice. Her hair now reached just below her jawline. She dropped the severed locks into the lake and watched them float away for a second before she walked back up to Asami and Naga.

"Alright," Asami said, hearing Korra behind her. "I think that's everything." She strapped their last bag to Naga's saddle.

"Well, whaddya think?" Korra put her hands on her hips to pose for her.

Asami turned around, confused for a second before she noticed Korra's hair. Her face lit up. "Oooh, I like it!" She came closer to feel Korra's freshly cut hair. "But why'd you do it?"

Korra smiled and shrugged, though she felt her cheeks warm up a little. "Been thinking about it for a while. You really like it?"

Asami pulled her even closer. "I do," she said softly. Then she grinned even wider. "Besides…it suits you."

Korra held her at arm's length. "What do you mean?"

Asami tapped Korra on the nose. "Tomboy, remember?"

With all their bags secured to Naga's saddle, they crossed the stream to enter the spiraling exit tunnel.

Asami and Korra both turned to take one last look. The glacier cave was glowing beautiful sky-blue now, and the soft rush of the waterfall echoed off the ice. Asami laced her fingers through Korra's. "I'll never forget this place, Korra."

Korra had been looking at the spot across the stream where their bedrolls had been. The spot of her first time with Asami. She turned and reached up to kiss Asami on the cheek. "Neither will I."

Asami lit their way through the tunnel with her firebending, careful not to get too close to the walls, and Korra bended the ice wall that served as the door. The sudden snowstorm from the day before had left a huge mound of fresh white powder across the outside exit, but it was easy enough for Korra to move it with her bending. They both drew their hoods, covered their faces with scarves, and mounted Naga to begin their return trip.

_-Underneath Republic City, a week after the attack on Su's sub-_

Raoul, Naomi, and Kenshi stood at the bottom of the elevator they'd just ridden. A massive tunnel opened up on their left and right, both directions extending so far into the distance that Raoul couldn't see the end. Electric lights lined the walls and ceilings. Also to his left and right, Raoul could see several other elevator shafts dotting the ceiling of this huge cavern. _How many entrances are there? _A few Future Industries mecha-tanks were loading and off-loading equipment from several trucks, and many more mecha-tanks were lined up against the wall closest to Raoul, along with several dozen satomobiles.

_He's got quite the operation here_, Raoul thought. _What have I gotten myself into? _ "What is this place?" Raoul asked.

"Our base of operations," Kenshi answered. "Its original purpose was some kind of evacuation tunnel, but knowledge of this place was never distributed publicly. Very few know of its existence." He pointed to a small nearby building and smiled. "Our benefactor awaits."

Naomi had finally let go of Kenshi, and as they followed him to the tent, she leaned close to Raoul. "There's lots of firepower in here," she whispered, "for someone promoting equality."

"Peace is not easily won," a nearby worker said to her.

Raoul and Naomi glared at him. Raoul was about to scold him for eavesdropping when he noticed the man's horrid appearance. For starters, the man's skin was stark white, the kind of white that reminded Raoul of blind fish that live in underground water sources. For a moment, he wondered how long Tenora had been keeping these people down here. It was this man's eyes, though, that sent shivers down Raoul's spine and caused Naomi to squeal.

The worker's eyes were completely glazed over with a silver sheen. The veins in his neck and face bulged as he smiled, an awful smirk that scared the hell out of Raoul.

Raoul averted his gaze, but not before his eyes alighted on another nearby worker. This one was a woman clad in a strange green-and-grey uniform with metal accents. _Where have I seen that get-up before? _This woman's skin was also pale, and her eyes were also silver.

He looked around. _All _of the people working in this massive tunnel had pale skin and silver eyes. Raoul, Naomi, and Kenshi were the only ones who didn't. "K-Kenshi," Naomi said. She had noticed the workers, too. "What happened to these people? What are you _doing _to them down here?"

"Madam, please, do not be afraid," the metal-clad woman said to Naomi. Raoul nearly pissed himself when he heard her voice: It sounded exactly like the other workman who'd just spoken. They were speaking in the same, smooth male voice, and it sounded grotesque to hear that coming from a woman's mouth. The female worker pointed toward the small building Kenshi was standing outside of. Raoul assumed it was some kind of broadcasting studio, since there was a large antenna jutting out from the top, and several generators supplying power from behind. _Must be where Tenora disseminates his orders. _The two horrid workers went about their business, apparently not surprised by Raoul's reaction to their appearance.

"Please," Kenshi said when they got closer. "Tenora has assured me he'll answer all your questions. Please come inside." The door to this underground antenna station was large, circular, and thick, much like the door to the elevator they'd ridden. Kenshi rotated the handle wheel back and forth, inputting the correct combination to unlock it, and once he had it open, he bid Raoul and Naomi to go first.

"What in the name of…" Naomi clung to Raoul's side like a frightened child, and this time, he was sure she wasn't faking it.

Wires and electrical circuits lined the walls of this building, wires ranging in thickness from hair-like to nearly tree trunk sized, and all these wires fed into one machine in the center of the room. The only lights in here were from the circuits and controls themselves, with their many knobs, buttons, and switches, and also from this great and terrible machine.

Sahno Tenora, clothed only in a loose-fitting tattered robe, was attached to this devilish engine. He was lying on his back on what looked like an operating table, though his arms and legs were strapped in. Tubes and wires protruded from his chest, arms, and head, with the largest connector attached to the back of his skull. Sparks flew and fizzled around him as the machine whirred with activity. Four metal pillars, two on each side of the table, stood glowing with power, and large cords ran from these up into the ceiling. Most of the wires connected to Tenora's body fed into these pillars.

Tenora himself was hardly in better shape than the transformed workers outside. He was just as pale, though his eyes were thankfully closed, so if they were silver, at least Raoul didn't have to see them. Clear plastic tubes fed into Tenora's arms. These were filled with blood, though Raoul couldn't tell whether they were supplying him with blood or taking it out of him. Either way, it was a gruesome sight.

"Kenshi," Raoul whispered. Naomi jumped a little at his words. "What the hell is _this_?"

Kenshi grinned, a smile that revealed all of his teeth. In the darkness, Raoul thought his teeth looked pointed. "He is awake," Kenshi said. "Ask him yourself."

Tenora's eyes snapped open, and the table he was strapped onto began to pivot until it was upright. Naomi put one hand to her chest and clung tighter to Raoul with the other. By some grace of the spirits, Tenora's eyes were not silver orbs, but they were still horrible to behold. The whites of his left eye had filled with crimson, and the pupil was unnaturally large, but his right eye was left undamaged. Somehow, the normal eye with its bright blue sparkle seemed the more terrible of the two.

"Raoul Li," Tenora rasped. Whatever this machine was doing to him, it had taken its toll. Despite this, Tenora gave Raoul a wide toothy smile.

"Tenora," Raoul replied. He paused for a moment to gather himself. His voice had just wavered, and the last thing he wanted was for it to break in front of Sahno Tenora. He took a quiet but deep breath and clasped his hands together.

"You have questions," Tenora continued. "Please, ask away."

_-Southern Water Tribe, White Lotus Compound, Present-_

By the time Korra, Asami, and Naga arrived at the compound, the sun had fully risen and dispelled the lingering clouds from yesterday's snowstorm. They then took Naga to the underground animal stable to unload their bags and thaw out their chilled limbs. Pepper and Oogi were very glad to see Naga, and the three giant animals all tried to lick Korra and Asami to death. With some effort, and a lot of behind-the-ear-scratching, they left the stables and sprinted to Katara's cottage to eat.

"So," Pema said as she put down a plate of food before each of them. "Where'd you two run off to?"

Korra shrugged, her mouth already full of oatmeal. "Just wanted to show Asami the sights," she said after swallowing. She nudged Asami under the table with her knee. Asami suppressed a smile.

"Uh-huh," Pema said, trying unsuccessfully to hide her own smile. She sat across from them at the small round table and observed them while she drank some tea. "Well, how was it?"

Korra nearly choked on her oatmeal. _How….how does she know? _She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at Asami, maybe trying to see what Pema could obviously see. "Umm," Korra stammered, "I don't, uh…how was _what_?"

"Your day off," Pema said with a straight face. "How was it?"

"Beautiful," Asami intervened. "And so much better than expected." Korra returned Asami's wide smile.

Smiling is contagious, and Pema couldn't hide hers any longer. "I'm glad to hear it." She got up to fetch the tea kettle, and poured them both a cup.

They continued chatting and eating their breakfasts for the next ten minutes. Pema told them that Jinora's broken ankle was already nearly mended by now, though she would need a walking stick for another week or so. Tenzin had tried to radio Lin Beifong yesterday, but the signal had been weakened by the snowstorm, so he'd left early this morning for Harbor City to use their more powerful radio.

"So there's been no word from Republic City?" Korra asked. "After all this time?"

Pema's expression fell a little, and the steam from her cup floated in front of her as she grasped it with both hands. Korra thought it made her look much older. "When we first left the City to come here," Pema said, "Lin agreed with us on as much radio silence as possible. We thought…" Pema shifted her weight in her seat and sighed. "We thought it would keep you safe."

Asami reached over the table for Pema's hand. "We _are _safe, Pema," she said. Asami nudged Korra with her knee under the table, but she didn't have to.

"Safer than ever, actually," Korra added. "I mean, you should've seen Asami firebend yesterday."

Pema smiled for them and squeezed Asami's hand. "Well," she said, "speaking of bending, I'm supposed to tell you two to meet Katara in the barracks when you're done eating. She said she wants to speak to the two of you."

After they finished their breakfasts, Korra and Asami arrived at the repurposed barracks to find Katara and Jinora already seated around the healing-pool, and there were two other people seated across from them, both with their backs to Korra and Asami. Jinora saw them come in and waved them over with a smile. The two strangers turned to see who had come in, and Korra felt her jaw hit the floor.

They both yelled at once. "_Mako_…_Bolin_?!"

Korra and Asami exchanged a quick look, then both girls sprinted headfirst into their friends, nearly toppling them both into the healing pool. Asami hugged Mako, and Korra wrapped her arms around Bolin's middle.

"Oh—hi—Korra," Bolin gasped as he patted her on the back. "It's so—nice to—breathe can't breathe!"

Korra laughed as she finally released him, only to trade with Asami and envelop Mako in a similar bear hug. She released him only when he began to gasp for air, as well. Korra took a step back to look at the two brothers. It had been a long time since she'd seen or spoken to Bolin, though he was mostly the same, with a little added chin stubble. Korra's last talk with Mako, however, had not gone well. It had been her fault for yelling and throwing pillows at him, but that was the furthest thing from her mind right now.

"What're you two doing here?" Asami asked.

Bolin scrunched his face into a mock-scolding look. "We could ask _you _the same question! I mean, we don't hear a word from either of you for who-knows-how-long and suddenly Su Beifong shows up in Republic City, and now Jinora tells us Asami can _bend _and—by the way, love the hair, Korra—and then—

"Hold on," Korra interrupted. She gripped Bolin by the shoulders to shut him up. "So Su made it back okay? How many people were with her?"

"And where is she now?" Asami added. "And there were more people with her, weren't there? How many made it—

"Hold on hold on hold on," Bolin said. He waved his hands like he was swatting aside their questions. "So you mean to tell us…that _everything _Katara and Su said was true? You guys really _were _attacked on Air Temple Island, then in the submarine, and then you sorta disappeared until Su brought you here, and…and…_all of it?_"

"Well," Korra said. She looked to Asami, who nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

Bolin's expression didn't change, which is to say, he still looked as if Korra had kissed him then slapped him across the face. Mako, however, had yet to say a word. Bolin began rubbing his chin as he looked them both up and down. When he alighted on Asami's eyes he visibly jumped, noticing for the first time their new golden hue. He pointed right at her eyes and looked to Korra, before noticing _her _new violet eye color.

"Those…" he said. "Those were green!" He pointed first at Asami, then at Korra. "Asami's eyes were green! And yours were blue, Korra! And now….wha…?"

Korra rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's a long story, Bolin."

Bolin resumed his place at the bench he was sitting at and patted the spot on his right. "We've got time, story away!"

"It's a _really _long story," Asami said. She joined him on the bench, anyway. "The short version is that Future Industries' vice president is insane, everyone in Republic City is in danger, and _yes_, I can bend now." To prove her point and end Bolin's yammering, she thrust the palm of her right hand out. A long gout of flame burst forth from her hand, and both Bolin and Mako nearly fainted. Asami blushed. "I'm, uh…still working out the kinks on this bending thing."

Korra sat down on the bench opposite Bolin and Asami and looked up at Mako, expecting him to sit beside her. She frowned when she noticed that he was actively avoiding eye contact, with her _and _Asami. _He can't still be upset at how I yelled at him, can he?_ He kept avoiding her gaze and shoved his hands into his pockets, pretending to listen to Bolin interrogate Asami. Korra rolled her eyes. _Classic socially-awkward Mako, except…he seems more distant than usual._

"Korra," Katara said over Bolin's excited questioning. The younger brother snapped his mouth shut to listen to the old woman. Katara stood up with the help of her cane and Jinora at her elbow. "Perhaps Asami should fill them in while we make some tea. I can't carry everything myself, after all." She gave them all her trademark wrinkled smile before hobbling off to the kitchen area of the barracks.

When Katara was out of earshot, Korra raised an eyebrow at Jinora. The young airbender only shrugged.

"I guess…I'll go help her?" Korra said. "Sorry, Bolin. You'll have to wait for my half of the story."

"Yeah alright, but don't think you're off the hook," Bolin said as he poked a finger at her. "Anyway, _tell us what happened Asami._"

As Korra went to follow Katara, she rested a hand on Asami's shoulder before she walked away. Asami covered her hand for a moment and gave her a smile.

The sweet earthen odor of tea leaves gently greeted Korra as she pushed open the kitchen's swinging door. This kitchen was rather large for their current needs, but then again, this was where most of the White Lotus lived when they were on duty…that is, when they weren't currently being evicted. To the right was an island with several large utensils hanging off the side in a row; knives, ladles, whisks, and spatulas of all sizes. Above that island hung more pans and pots than Korra knew what to do with. Dark wooden cabinets surrounded her on all sides. On Korra's left was Katara working at the stove, and past her down a narrow hallway lied the barracks' huge—and currently empty—pantry. Korra's leather boots swished across the smooth tile floor as she walked over to Katara.

Katara had already placed the kettle on to boil, her back to Korra. _I wonder what she wants. _

"It's good to see those boys again," Katara said, her back still to Korra as she worked with the tea.

"Yeah, it is," Korra said. She joined Katara at the stove, and began the search for cups, spoons, and a platter in the cabinets above. Korra sighed. "Except…I don't know."

Korra felt Katara turn to look at her. "What is it?" Katara asked.

_Six cups, six spoons. _Korra shrugged. "It's kinda stupid, but…" She turned around to meet Katara's gaze. The old Water Tribe woman seemed to get shorter every day, and Korra had to look down to make eye contact. "I don't know, Katara. It's not that I haven't missed them, because I have, but seeing them made me realize that I didn't want to involve them. In…_this_." She waved all around her. "People have already died fighting against Tenora, people that I couldn't save. If that happened to either Mako of Bolin…"

Katara leaned against the counter opposite Korra. "But you don't fear for Asami?"

Korra felt her face flush. "Of course I do, every minute of every day!" She clamped down on her breathing to keep it steady. She didn't want to yell, lest the others outside hear her. "But…I couldn't do this without her."

Tiny wisps of steam began to hover out from the teapot's spout, but it had not started whistling yet.

"Korra," Katara said. She bowed her head for a moment before looking back up at her. "When it was discovered that you were the Avatar, I made a promise to myself that I would teach you all I know about waterbending."

Korra took the old woman's hands. "And you were the best teacher anyone could have. Still are."

Katara smiled, bowed her head again. "But I haven't honored that promise," she whispered. When she looked back up at Korra, her eyes were sad. "Not fully."

"What do you mean?"

"Korra." Katara gripped Korra's hands harder. "It's time I taught you how to bloodbend."

_-Underneath Republic City-_

"So this…" Raoul stammered, "this…machine_, _this is—

"The Sanguinary Construct," Sahno Tenora finished. He looked around himself at the grotesque engine he was attached to. "Or rather, this is merely the receiver for the Construct."

"I see," Raoul nodded. Tenora had said he would explain the ins and outs of his plan, or as much as he was willing to divulge, and yet Raoul was still having a hard time of it. _How does this technology exist? _"And you are _not _in possession of said Construct." It wasn't a question.

Tenora's undamaged blue eye sparkled with anger in the darkness, but his expression was controlled. "Indeed," he said, his voice smooth as ever.

"And," Raoul continued, making sure he'd heard correctly, "once complete, this machine can infuse elemental energy into any given area?"

"In theory, yes," Tenora nodded. Blood was still flowing out of him through the clear plastic tubes in his arms. Raoul hadn't asked where the blood was _going, _or what Tenora was doing with it. "The Sanguinary Construct's original purpose," Tenora continued, "designed by none other than Hiroshi Sato himself, was wide scale bending removal. It has since been repurposed. Where its creator sought to _take_, I seek to _give_."

Raoul swallowed, hard. _Amon and Hiroshi. _Tenora, through Kenshi, had already made it clear that he knew about Raoul's previous involvement with the Equalists, but Raoul had not known about this…doomsday weapon Amon had commissioned. _How did Tenora get his paws on it? _He was trying to control himself, but Raoul could clearly smell his own fear oozing out of his pores.

"Repurposed," Raoul repeated. Naomi had been silent for a while, as was Kenshi. Raoul began to pace around the room, mostly to alleviate the shaking in his legs. A creeping suspicion was crawling up his spine. "And you say 'wide scale.' How wide, and how does it work?"

Tenora wheezed for a brief moment and coughed before replying. "As you well know, Amon could sever a person's elemental connection with his bloodbending. I believe the opposite can be done in much the same way." His arms were strapped down, but he motioned with his hands to indicate himself. "I give you the face of wide scale, long-range bloodbending, made possible through electromagnetic transmission."

_The antenna…_

"Transmission?" Naomi whispered. Raoul turned to look at his wife. The shorter, busty woman had been sitting at a desk that was covered in blueprints and research notes. "So anywhere with radio towers—

"—is under my control, to a point." Tenora titled his head down a bit to smile at Naomi. The resulting shadow cast across his visage caused more trickles of fear-sweat to roll down Raoul's spine.

Now Tenora lifted his head again, looking as proud as ever, despite being strapped onto a machine. "There is a catch, unfortunately." He looked behind Raoul to the thick vault-like door they had entered from. "You've already met the silver ones. While their appearance—and my own—is regrettably grotesque, it is simply a minor side effect of the serum coursing through our veins. This special liquid, in tandem with the Construct, is what allows me to bloodbend across vast distances, and across multiple people simultaneously."

"Serum?" Raoul asked. "What—

Before he could finish, the round knob-wheel of the door rotated from the outside. Raoul jumped when he heard the squeak of metal against metal, and Naomi issued an audible squeal and hurriedly rushed toward Raoul to grip his arm. In walked three of the silver-eyed workers from the giant tunnel, two men and a woman. It was hard to see how pale they were in this semi-darkness, but Tenora's three horrid followers lined themselves up before him, then, all at once, turned to face Raoul and Naomi.

"As you can see," one of the men said, in Tenora's voice, "I am in control." The man who had spoken was wearing plain clothing, though he had on a butcher's apron, as if he had just left his day job to come down here to be Tenora's puppet.

Raoul felt Naomi shake against him. He covered her hand with his own, hoping to settle her perhaps, but it was no good.

He was shaking, too.

Tenora continued speaking, the actual Tenora this time. "The serum is water based, of course, and almost perfectly mimics human blood. Not only that, but it responds very well to radio waves at a pre-defined frequency." He looked down upon his subjects. It was hard to tell, what with Tenora's bloodshot eye, his pale visage, and the surrounding darkness, but Raoul would have sworn he saw a glint of pride in the bloodbender's eyes. Tenora looked back up, directly at Raoul. "The serum is essential to this entire operation, Mr. Li. Without mass distribution, we cannot proceed."

"I see," Raoul said, though he didn't, really. _A machine that can transmit bloodbending, and a liquid that can turn people into…human radios?_

"You will fund, oversee, and secure said distribution, Mr. Li. That is your role in all of this."

Raoul swallowed dryly. His creeping fear reared its ugly head for a moment as his heart skipped several beats. With some effort, he managed to clamp down on it again. _Just keep him talking. _He let go of Naomi's hand and clasped both of his together, cleared his throat before he spoke. "And to where am I supposed to distribute this liquid?"

Tenora smiled again. "Everywhere, my good Mr. Li. Every nation, every major city, and as many villages as possible."

"Every—" Raoul began before stopping himself. He cleared his throat again and adjusted the collar of his shirt. "Mr. Tenora, while mass distribution of such a scale is _possible_, you may not be aware of the _cost_—

"You will be well compensated, Raou Li," Tenora said. Raoul had been avoiding Tenora's gaze for most of this encounter, but now he lifted his chin and stared right at him. Tenora stared back, his bloodshot eye unwavering with its abnormally large pupil. "And rest assured," Tenora said dryly, "I do not expect you to achieve such distribution overnight. Republic City will suffice for the beginning." His three puppets stood still as stones in front of him, all looking at Raoul with those horrid silver eyes.

Tenora's ridiculous proposal put just enough courage back into Raoul to make him speak his mind. "You've given me only a scant few pieces of your puzzle, Tenora." He strolled toward where Tenora hung strapped to the machine, behind his minions. "The machine transmits your bloodbending, the serum responds to those transmissions, and you claim to desire the gift of bending for the world." Raoul now stood a mere three feet in front of the silver eyed woman, the two controlled-men on either side of her, and Tenora behind them all. Raoul sidestepped to look the real Tenora in the eye. "So why all the cloak-and-dagger? Why not go public with your message? Why did you _attack_ Air Temple Island with such reckless abandon, if you truly desire equality and peace? Why must you have total control over these people?"

Tenora's wry smile began to sour at the corners. "All in good time, Mr. Li—

"I think not, Tenora," Raoul countered. His courage had risen dangerously close to stupidity, and he turned on his heel to walk back to where Naomi stood. "Your mistake was letting me know just how essential Iam to your operation," he said as he moved. He reached Naomi's side. She still appeared stricken with fear and confusion, and he could almost feel the daggers she was shooting out of her eyes. Raoul turned to face Tenora, the tension between them tight as a wire. "Without my wealth and distribution efforts, you say you cannot proceed. So if you wantsaid wealth on your side, you will tell me _everything._"

Silence for a long moment, too long. A moment where Naomi gripped his arm again, tight, to let him know he'd gone too far. _Too late now, _he thought. He looked over at Kenshi, perhaps expecting Tenora's lackey to make a move, but he didn't. To Raoul's horror, Kenshi merely leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, and a smirk on his face.

"I'm afraid," Tenora sighed, "that _everything _would be too far over your head, Mr. Li."

Raoul scoffed. "How dare—

"But I will answer your questions," Tenora interrupted. His three puppets all took one step forward, and the man in the butcher's apron spoke for him. "The serum I use to amplify my own bending also gives me control over the subject's bending abilities, if they have them."

The other man spoke next, still in Tenora's voice. He was also wearing a green-and-grey uniform like the woman's, though his didn't have any actual metal on it. "People crave power, Mr. Li. You know this. And I intend to give it to them…on the sole condition that _I _be their hidden moderator."

Now it was the woman's turn. "If everyone was as powerful as the Avatar, without checks and balances to reign them in, there would be chaos. Iwill be that check. Iwill be that balance, and no one will ever be the wiser. I will spread my consciousness over them all, perhaps so much so that I lose my sense of self, but no matter. It will be worth it. In the name of total equality, it will be worth it."

Raoul opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't know what he wanted to say. It was a good thing, too, because he discovered that his tongue and throat had dried up. He'd used up his reserves of courage, and now he was afraid.

"Furthermore," Tenora said, using all three puppets to speak this time. The sound of the exact same voice coming out of three different mouths was terrifying. "Un-amplified bloodbending can exert only so much control over a person. If a person has a strong enough will, even the most powerful waterbender in the world cannot control them forever. That is not the case when a subject has absorbed enough of the serum." The two men on either side of the woman stepped away from her, and both turned so that they faced her.

"Observe," the woman said. _Metal…metal on the uniform, _Raoul thought. Without hesitation, the woman then metalbended a strip of her uniform into a long dagger and plunged it into her own exposed neck. Naomi yelped and jumped backward. Raoul could only watch, entranced by the whole horrid scene, his mouth slightly agape. Dark liquid immediately surged forth from the puncture, a liquid too dark to be normal blood, and the woman never once screamed or otherwise indicated that she felt any pain. Her visage remained passive as ever. She did not even remove the metal from her pierced throat. The two men caught her as her legs gave out, their faces just as unemotional as hers.

"_Total _control," Tenora whispered from behind the puppets.


End file.
